


More Than You Know

by Tygerrtygerr



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Angst, Doctor/Patient, F/F, Fluff, I know you see it too, Satya is a doctor ok, always angst, always fluff, cant forget the smut, hail the choco chip ice cream sandwich, oh and smut, slight soulmate mechanics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-02 07:20:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10939677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tygerrtygerr/pseuds/Tygerrtygerr
Summary: Sometimes the things you want most are right in front of you, and you don't realize it until its too late.





	1. Chapter 1

“Dr. Ziegler, please, have a seat.”

 

The doctor sits in one of the only two seats available in the office she was in. In front of her was a large metallic desk, the contents on top of it presented in an extremely organized matter, not even a single pen out of place. In a black, leather office chair on the other side of the desk sat the most important woman in the whole hospital. Many others would be filled with dread just at the thought of being summoned into her office, but Dr. Angela Ziegler knows better. She knows exactly why she was called in here by the Chief of Staff, Satya Vaswani. “Chief, Vaswani,” she greets in return.

 

“So. I have read the reports on your research into nanobiology, and I must say, Dr. Ziegler, that this is indeed some of your most brilliant work yet.” At this, Angela smiles, but not in response to the praise. “Tell me, have you tested it out yet?”

 

“Not on a large scale, no. I probably can’t even say I’ve tested on a small scale. I’m mostly just theorizing and hypothesising alongside a virtual simulator I’ve created with the help of a colleague. It still has a very long way to go.”

 

Satya nods along to her words. “I can’t wait to see the finished results. You _truly_ are a blessing to have in my hospital, Dr. Zeigler.”

 

_There it is._

 

If there was one thing Angela noticed during her time working here, it was that whenever Chief Vaswani needed to ask a favor of her she always made a flattering comment beforehand. She knew exactly what she was called here for. “Satya,” she begins, both their eyes meeting at the use of her first name. Though Angela is special, she was only special enough that occasionally she could disregard surnames. “Did you really bring me here to flatter me with your kind words? Or would you like to get to the reason you really called me here for?”

 

Satya smirks, this having been a scene played out many times before. She reaches into her drawer to pull out a folder, placing it on the desk and pushing it towards Angela. “There's a patient I would you to look after,” she states, blunt and straight to the point now. “She's been proving to be quite a handful for the nurses and her current doctor.”

 

Angela takes the folder off the table, reading the name written on the cover.

 

_Fareeha Amari._

 

She reaches into the folder to pull out the patient’s diagnostics, frowning slightly at what she read. “So, she's dying?”

 

“At the moment, yes, slowly. Another reason I ask this if you, Angela, is because I feel this patient could potentially benefit from your nanobiotics. You theorize that they should be able to slowly heal and reverse damage. Well, I'm not sure if you read the file, but—”

 

“Her body is slowly deteriorating from the inside…”

 

Satya gives her a slight glare for interrupting, to which she curtly apologizes, having gotten caught up in the information in the files. “Yes, it seems dormant now but for whatever reason her body is slowly weakening. It’s so sporadic we can’t even give an estimated time frame.”

 

“And you don’t know what’s causing it?”

 

“No, all scans and tests come back clean.”

 

She had to admit that this would provide a good opportunity to see how effective her research has been. It was even possible to could save this woman's life, however she didn't want to jump the gun so fast. Also it sounded like a very interesting case, and what doctor didn’t enjoy a good case? “Alright. I'll do it.”

 

“I knew I could count on you, Angela.”

 

With matters having been settled Angela stands up to leave.

“How is your search for your soulmate going?”

 

Angela stops her movements, turning back around to the woman at the desk. She doesn't know why Satya would ask that, especially with no context whatsoever. The question brings up the thought of the special mark on her wrist, covered currently by the sleeves of her coat. When Angela first got her mark at 18 she was ecstatic. The thought that somewhere out there in the world there was another person destined only for you was thrilling. Growing up she would ask her uncle about soulmates, despite him never finding his own. She would always ask, numerous times, how does one know they've found their soulmate. Yes, she knew the answer herself, but there was something about hearing it over and over again that made her so giddy.

 

_When you meet your soulmate you'll feel it in your heart and on your mark, but it only happens once so don't miss it._

 

Angela has been waiting for that moment for so long, and here she is in her early 30’s still waiting. Clearly, Satya was aware of Angela's quest for her soulmate, but she still couldn't figure out what would peak her interest so suddenly.

 

“Well, I haven't found them yet, but I'm still looking,” replies the doctor, the hopefulness strong in her voice.

 

At that Satya smiles; a genuine one, too. “That's what I like to hear.”

 

“I've actually already set up a date a few days from now with someone.”

 

“Best of luck to you then, Dr. Ziegler.”

 

Angela’s eyes narrow at her higher ups behavior, but she passes it off as simple curiosity as she leaves. With the topic on her mind now, she pushes the sleeve of her right arm up a little bit to look at the soulmark on the inside of her wrist. It was a symbol of a white feather, not too small and not too large. Usually your soulmark is a sort of reflection on you as a person. Angela never understood what a feather could possibly say about her, but her uncle had jokingly told her one day it means she is an angel. She didn't think much of it at the time, but these days, especially after being called as such by patients occasionally, she finds that it is fitting.

 

On her search for her soulmate she tries to meet with people whose soulmarks relate to hers in some way. She's met a few people with birds as their soulmark, however, none of them was the person she was looking for. These days, not too many people took the whole soulmate thing anyway. Those who do definitely fell into the minority, and she’s sure mathematically that must somehow decrease your chances, but she perseveres on regardless.

 

Angela opens the door to her office, plopping down into her chair with a sigh. Her computer is on, the screen reflecting various parts of her current research on nanobiotics. She had a couple of potential prototypes that she just needed to run through her simulator before she could attempt them. She pulls out Fareeha’s patient file, skimming through her information. The woman has a rare disease that is slowly killing her from the inside. The origins of it are unknown, but it is essentially destroying her body from the inside. The doctor will have to check and see how she's doing so far, but within anywhere from three to six Fareeha could start losing strength, have trouble breathing, and a whole list of potential other problems. Satya had said she was stable now, but who knows how long it'll stay that way? They haven’t even figured out yet what’s causing this.

 

If she can get these biotics of hers to truly work their function, she should be able to reverse these damages. The goal of her nanotech was to take damage done to the body and heal it, though in actuality the nanomachines would act as a catalyst to rebuild it. In her simulations her nanomachines can heal a large open wound. She is unsure how well it would work, in Fareeha’s case though. Regardless, she enters the woman's data from the file into her simulation program. This way, she can run tests to determine whether it will be safe to administer the biotics to the patient without any negative side effects. Afterwards, she begins running said tests and changing her formulas accordingly to accommodate any changes.

 

-

 

The next day, Angela decides to finally go visit her new patient. She had ran tests all night and changed the formula quite a few times, but in the end decided she should visit the woman to take some blood and a few other small things before finalizing her first dosage.. Her eyes land on the door up ahead of her as she approaches. The sign next to the door displaying the room number reads 690. Angela turns into the room, in greeting. “Hello there, I’m—”

 

She stops short seeing that there is no one in the bed. A turn to her left find the bathroom door open with the lights off. Confused, she steps back out to check the room number. She does have the correct room. Angel steps back in, walking to the bed to check the other side. She still finds no one, and just as she is about to call for Satya, a breeze flows in from the window, wide open with the curtains billowing from the wind. She glances at the open window and then to the empty bed. The thought crosses her mind that possibly—

 

_No…_

 

In a quick step Angela is at the window, hands on either side of the frame as she sticks her head outside.She looks to the right. Nothing. The left? The wind blows fiercely again in that moment. Her hair whips across her face. Her beating heart stops abruptly at the sight before her. Sitting on the ledge a few feet away from the window, feet dangling six stories high from the busy street, was her patient. She was looking away from her, staring down at the streets below, hands resting on the edge of the ledge. Black hair was blowing in the wind, a faint rattling noise can be heard from the golden beads in her hair. Her heart was beating now, though much faster than before. Her new patient entrusted to her by the chief of this hospital was potentially trying to kill herself? Before she knew what she was doing she was calling her name. “Fareeha!”

  


At the sound of her name being called, the woman turns in shock. Her face is one of surprise as blue eyes meet her own brown ones. In that moment Angela feels a tightening in her chest. There is a pulsing feeling on her wrist and she takes some weight off of her arms leaning heavily on the window frame. For a second she sees a flash of confusion on Fareeha’s face as she reaches a hand up to rub lightly at a spot on her chest. She stares at Angela so hard for a second Angela wonders whether she was even truly looking at her. The woman still makes no move to get back inside however and Angela leans further out the window, reaching a hand towards her.

 

“Fareeha!” she calls again, snapping the woman from whatever daze she was in.

 

She looks at the outstretched hand and then back at the doctor's face before slowly standing into a crouch and making her way across the ledge. Once close enough she grabs onto Angela’s hand as the blonde helps her back in through the window. Fareeha climbs through the window landing on the floor where she takes a seat. Angela shuts the window behind her with a heavy exhale before she, too, slides down the wall onto the floor. She tilts her head back against the wall and closes her eyes. Her heart still races. She can feel her hands trembling slightly, and she must have leaned on her wrist wrong as there was still a faint pulsing sensation. When she opens her eyes she looks to the woman next to her, her eyes fixated on a spot on the ground in front of her and her hand still on that spot on her chest. When she feels Angela’s gaze on her she looks over at the doctor.

 

Angela meets her with a warm smile. She activates her doctor vision and scans her patient for any signs of injury. She finds nothing, but still feels the need to ask. “Are you alright?”

 

Fareeha nods in response. There’s still an emotion on her face that Angela can’t grasp. A part of her wants to pursue it, but she decides not to, rising to her feet instead. She once again reaches a hand to the tanned woman, helping pull her up when she accepts. She is a few inches taller than her,she notes, as she has to look up slightly to meet her eyes.

 

“I’m Angela Ziegler. I’ll be your new doctor from now on,” she says as she leads Fareeha back to the bed. “I had wanted to get a blood sample and a few other things, but things have taken an… unexpected turn…” Fareeha still says nothing. Its as if she is thinking very hard about something. Angela wants to know why she was outside the window, but isn’t sure she should question. She will have one of the custodial staff lock up her window with a key however. She’d also have to tell Chief Vaswani about this. If this was truly an attempted suicide it would be urgent that she knew.

 

As if reading her mind, Fareeha places a hand on her forearm to get her attention. “Please. Don’t tell anyone.”

 

It was the first time Angela heard the smallest of sounds from the woman before her and she had to admit her voice was certainly pleasant. She looked down at the tanned hand gripping onto her arm, pleading with her, then back to the woman laying in bed. She considers it for a while, reaching her conclusion with a sigh. “You owe me an explanation, Ms. Amari. I expect one tomorrow when I return.”

 

Fareeha smiles at her response, content that she would keep this secret. Angela can’t help but think that she has a beautiful smile.

 

The rest of the day Angela is thinking about her first time meeting Fareeha Amari and just how insane it was that that was how they met.

 

-

 

When tomorrow comes, Angela visits Fareeha just as she promised she would. She let go of a breath she didn't even realize she was holding upon seeing the woman in bed. There’s a different aura around her today. It’s… pleasant.

 

“Good afternoon, Fareeha,” she greets, picking up the clipboard at the end of the bed to check over the nurse's’ notes.

 

“Dr. Zeigler. I see you’re right on time to collect that blood sample you wanted.”

 

Angela glances up over the edge of the clipboard to look at the woman in bed. She seemed like a whole new person today, not even taking into the consideration the fact that she was actually talking. “Yes, that and a few other things I’m going to need from you today.” A nurse comes in with a rolling tray of supplies, Angela thanking her as she leaves. “The first thing I’m going to need is a urine sample,” she says, handing Fareeha a small plastic jar from the tray.

 

“You could at least take me out to dinner before demanding a jar of one’s pee.”

 

Angela raises an eyebrow, but she decides to play along. “I’m sorry, did you want to sit and chat over tea to warm up first?” she teased.

 

Fareeha smiles, watching as the doctor readies some things on the tray. “Tell me something about yourself, Doctor.”

 

Angela stops what she’s doing to look at her, before continuing her tasks. “My, we sure are talkative today. I probably wouldn’t have to look far to find the cat that held your tongue yesterday.” She doesn't look up from what she’s doing but she can feel Fareeha’s amusement, those eyes definitely settled on her. She has no doubt in her mind they could go on throwing remarks at each other all day, but before she can retort with some witty quip, she interjects. “Go pee in the cup, Amari.”

 

She finally gets Fareeha into the bathroom to provide her sample, which she thankfully accepts, placing it in a plastic baggie and then on the tray. With that out the way she begins a standard checkup, listening to her heart, checking blood pressure, and the usual. Throughout it all she doesn’t hear a single word from her patient. When she pulls out the needle to take blood is when she finally decides to speak.

 

“Will you tell me something about yourself now, Doctor?”

 

Angela disinfects the bend of Fareeha’s arm with a wipe, prepping the needle. “Something like what, Fareeha,” she says, too focused on her actions to actually pose it as a question.

 

“Anything.”

 

She sticks the needle in, sticking the vain. She’s positive she felt Fareeha flinch at the entry, “Lets see…” She pulls up on the syringe to take the blood she needs. “There are these chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches in the cafeteria vending machine, and I find them to be quite addicting.” She removes the needle, wiping the exit point with another wipe, and grabbing Fareeha’s other hand to hold pressure to the spot.

 

“Hmm, I’ve never had ice cream before.”

 

Angela stops her actions in shock. “Really?”

 

“Really.”

 

She hums in response, signaling for her to open her mouth as she wiped the inside of her cheeks with a cotton swab. “I think it’s your turn to tell me something about you now.”

 

“I already did.”

 

“That doesn’t count, and you still owe me an explanation for the heart attack you gave me yesterday.”

 

“Doctor, are you admitting your heart beats for me?”

 

There was a silence during which they both looked at each other. Fareeha laying with a smug look on her face, Angela staring at her in disbelief. What was this sudden change in character? The woman laying before her had turned a whole 180 degrees from her behavior yesterday. Or, was her behavior yesterday a 180 from her behavior now? She thought back to what Satya had told her in regards to uncooperativeness and behavior issues as of late. It isn’t uncommon for patients, especially patients with a condition like hers, to exhibit such behavior, but could that have been related to how she found her yesterday? What was it that has her so cheery all of a sudden?

 

Angela sighs. She could think about all these questions with no answers or she could just accept it for what it is. Looking over to Fareeha sitting up in the bed, the largest of smiles on her face, she thinks this look suits her better anyway.

 

“You're really ridiculous.”

 

* * *

 

They have a few more appointments after that day, and during all of them Fareeha is as witty and flirtatious as ever. Angela finds that she doesn’t mind though. She makes excellent company and Angela finds that she’s drawn to her in a way she can’t explain, sometimes stopping by to check up on her even when there isn’t really anything that needs checking. Over the course of two weeks, they build an interesting friendship. Fareeha turns her daily questions into a game of sorts where they each tell each other something about themselves whenever they see each other. So far they’ve only shared minor details such as favorite things to do, their dislikes, and things of that sort. It was nice and refreshing to learn about each other in that way.

 

Angela had gone one a few dates since the one she had planned when she first took this case. All of them were nice, but sadly the person just wasn't the right match. She did, however, have a date planned with a potential soulmate. It is on that exact same day that she finally finishes the first dose of nanos to give Fareeha. She had explained to the woman her study of nanobiology and how she was hoping to create a way to reverse her illness. She asked Fareeha for her consent as it would be very trial and error, expecting some sort of doubt or suspicion from her. Instead she was shocked when she pronounced that she would try anything the doctor had to offer her. Such was how Angela found herself in Fareeha’s room that evening, a syringe of nanobots in her hands, her subject more than willing to have them injected into her.

 

“You can still say no, Fareeha.”

 

Even with her consent, she still wanted to make sure that this was truly what the other wanted. She had ran a multitude of simulations and found that nothing potentially harmful would come out of this whether it worked or not, but she still just wanted to be absolutely sure. She didn’t like the idea of testing on animals first, but she also didn’t like testing on people either. Some things were just too unpredictable.

 

“Doctor. I want this. I'll do whatever it takes if there's a chance it'll help me live longer,” Fareeha replies in what must have been the most serious voice Angela’s heard from her yet. It was just what she needed to stomp down all the doubts she, herself, was having.

 

“Alright. It might hurt a little. I'm going to administer it closest to your heart so it can be most effective.”

 

Fareeha nods and Angela prepares the entry point, a prominent vein right around her collarbone. She expects that Fareeha will strike up conversation any second now, a habit of hers she realized she'd do whenever she was about to get an injection of some sort. She theorizes that she isn't really a fan of needles.

 

“So, what shall you tell me about yourself today, Dr. Ziegler?”

 

_As expected._

 

Angela smiles to herself, internally content that she picked up on the woman's habits so easily. She pondered what her detail of the day could be as she made the injection into her vein. Her mind went to the dinner she had planned for tonight and decided that would have to do for now. “I'm going on a date tonight.”

 

She could have sworn she saw the quickest of frowns flash across her tanned face, but was too concentrated on the task at hand to be sure.

 

“What's the occasion?”

 

Angela removes the needle and provides a gauze for Fareeha to apply pressure with. “There isn't one. I’m just on a search for my soulmate is all,” she replied, removing her gloves and disposing properly of the used needle.

 

Fareeha’s other hand comes up to rub at her chest as she tries to keep a pleasant face. “I don't think soulmates work that way, Doctor.”

 

“How so? And please, call me Angela.”

 

Fareeha looks away, her hands suddenly becoming a lot more interesting. “I don't know, my mother used to say two people who truly are soulmates would find each other through fate. A date arranged by two individuals hardly sounds like fate..”

 

“Mhmm, sounds to me like someone is just jealous,” Angela teased, though she had to admit her mother sounded like she knew what she was talking about. At her jest, Fareeha bows her head lower, sinking back into the bed as she grumbled denials under her breath. Angela smiled at the sight.

 

_She's so cute._

 

Her face reddened slightly at the thought. Thankfully, Fareeha was looking away and didn't notice.

 

“Hey, I was just joking. It's your turn to tell me yours.”

 

Fareeha glanced at her with her peripherals, her head still turned away from her. She sunk even further into the bed, almost under the covers as she mumbled. “Maybe, I am just a little jealous…”

 

_What._

 

It was low but she still heard her confession. By now Fareeha was completely underneath the blankets, most likely too embarrassed to meet Angela’s gaze. Angela ran what she said through her mind, making connections before coming to the conclusion that one doesn't get to have much of a love life from a hospital bed. Here she is talking about her date when Fareeha probably hasn't been outside for a while. Anyone would feel jealous in that position, right?

 

“I'm sorry, Fareeha, I didn’t mean to make you upset,” she apologizes walking back to stand next to the side of the bed, where she remained hidden underneath the blankets. She received no reply. “Fareeha…”

 

“Go have fun on your date, Dr. Ziegler,” came the muffled replies through the bed linens.

 

Angela sighs, realizing that she plans on staying hidden away until she leaves. Sometimes she can be a bit stubborn, she’s come to realize over time. “I'll be back to check on you tomorrow afternoon then.” She stood there a little longer in case she decided to emerge from her now makeshift cocoon, sighing when no such thing happened. The clicking sound of her heels sounded through the room as she made her way to the doorway, stopping just short of the exit. “Goodnight, Fareeha.”

 

Silence. But Angela stood by the doorway anyway, waiting for the reply she knew would come.

 

“Goodnight, Dr. Ziegler.”

 

She smiles to herself, content, before finally leaving the room. Once the sound of her heels could no longer be heard a loud groan sounds across the room. The single occupant of the blankets tosses and turns until she’s laying face down, her arms holding the pillow over her head as she grumbled about how stupid and embarrassed she was, but also about how oblivious a particular doctor was.

 

* * *

 

That next morning Fareeha wakes up with an odd feeling in her gut. She rules out the possibility of hunger once she eats the abomination that is hospital breakfast, some wet slop which was probably their version of oatmeal and a red apple. She ate like two spoonfuls of the slop, deeming it bio hazard, and the entire apple but the feeling still persisted. She got out of bed to walk to the bathroom since that was also a possibility. Upon standing up onto her feet she couldn't help but notice she felt a little off balance. Suddenly the walk to the bathroom was so much farther than usual. She ended up walking along the walls to help balance herself. Once everything was said and done, she still felt the odd feeling, though.

 

By the time she made it back to bed she was exhausted, deciding to take a small nap before Angela came to check on her. She thought about what she said yesterday about admitting she was envious of whoever she was going out with, and felt the embarrassment creeping back up on her. Luckily the doctor seemed to interpret it differently, but she still mentally scolded herself for being so direct.

 

Following those thoughts her mind traveled back to when Angela first found her outside, replaying it over and over in her mind. She brought her hand up to that spot on her chest and then she found herself thinking of her mother, reflecting back on her life before she was confined to this hospital, and reflecting on her life now and what it will become in the near future. She ended up so caught up amongst her thoughts that she didn't even hear the nurse enter the room with some medications for her. She glances at the clock and sees it's well past the time Angela said she would be here.

 

“Hey, where's Ange— uhh, Dr. Ziegler?”

 

The nurse doesn't seem to notice her slip up, or even seem to care for that matter. “Dr. Ziegler won't be coming tonight, Ms. Amari. She gave me directions to have you take this medication though and she’ll check up on you tomorrow morning.”

 

Fareeha frowns as she's handed a small cup with two pills and a cup of water. She downs the medicine and hands the cups back to the nurse who then leaves, leaving her alone once again. Why didn't Angela come today? Is she okay? Not feeling well? She didn’t make her mad yesterday did she? She looks over to her cell phone on the small table next to her bed and wishes she had the doctor's number. She rarely used the thing anyway so it's not like it was one of the things at the forefront of her mind, but still she hoped the doctor was okay.

 

The next morning came around all too slowly and Fareeha hadn’t gained an ounce of sleep the entire night, too concerned about what her favorite blonde was up to. The day fell through its same pattern of breakfast being brought to her, the bathroom seemingly getting farther and farther away, and nurses coming to check on her. They had even wheelchaired her down to get an MRI at the request of her doctor, who, by the way, there has still been no sign of. By the time he late evening flew back around she made the decision that she was going to go find her. Certainly she must have an office somewhere in this building right? It couldn’t be too hard to find. The only struggle was that she found walking required more energy than it used to and her balance felt much more off than usualf. She’s sure the nurses would provide her with a walking tool of some sort if she asked, but pride won’t allow her to ask.

 

Once she makes it to the wall where she can steady herself, it becomes a walk in the park. Or in her case, the hospital. Slowly she inches her way around the perimeter of the room to the door. She had just reached the doorway and had barely took one step out into the hall when someone collided into her, almost sending her falling back had it not been for a hand suddenly around her waist and grabbing her arm. She regained her grip on the doorframe as well to steady herself as having been jostled made her slightly disoriented.

 

“Mein Gott, Fareeha Amari! What are you doing!?”

 

“Angela. I was just coming to look for you,” she half speaks half grumbles. She was still feeling a little off and a slight headache was slowly making its home in her temple, but she still felt a sense of joy at hearing that voice. She also felt the heat creep up into her face once she realized just how close they were. Angela's hand was still holding her tightly around her waist in case she lost her balance, their hips were just barely touching. The scent of her shampoo was so close to Fareeha’s nose she had to resist the urge to lay her head atop hers and just breathe it all in.

 

“Fareeha, you need to get back in bed.”

 

“N-no wait!” Her sudden outburst stops Angela’s movements of guiding her back to her cot, eyebrows raised as if daring her to challenge her. “I… I just wanna go somewhere. I've been in this room for so long, you disappeared and I didn't know where you went, I just—”

 

She cuts herself off abruptly, unsure of what else to say and feeling slightly embarrassed. She tilts her head upwards and to the side to avoid the gaze she knows Angela is giving her. She's certain her blush could be noticed a mile away, even through her darker complexion. A hand on her cheek brought her gaze back down to stare into pools of blue and the concerned face of the doctor before her.

 

“Okay,” concedes Angela. “But I'm sitting you in a wheelchair, Fareeha.”

 

“Please, not a wheelchair. I… I need to walk with my own two legs. I can feel it getting harder, my legs are getting weaker.” Fareeha sighs. “I just want to walk as long as I am able.”

 

Angela stares at her as she debates within her head, knowing a wheelchair is the safest option but also acknowledging her desires. “Okay, okay. You can use me as support.”

 

The positioning was awkward due to the difference in height but they managed to figure it out, Angela's left arm wrapped firmly around Fareeha’s mid back to hold her steady and Fareeha’s right arm stretched across Angela's shoulders to help steady herself.

 

“Did you have anywhere in mind?”

 

Fareeha brought we other hand up to rub behind her head. “Ah I can't say I do. I was honestly just on my way to find you, but there's no need for that now.”

 

“Hmm, I have an idea.”

 

The two walked at a slow pace down the empty halls of the hospital. It was late so a majority of the staff were back in their homes resting. Most of the patients were asleep, the only sounds being the faint beeping of medical equipment. Fareeha was still feeling a little warm about how close they were. Angela's hand rubbing small circles across her back didn't help either. She decides to start conversation to distract herself.

 

“So where have you been, Dr. Ziegler?”

 

“Mhmm, worried about me were you?” she replies with a mischievous smirk. Fareeha turns her head away at her teasing, eliciting a small chuckle from the other woman. “Seriously though. I'm sorry for worrying you. I just needed some time away.”

 

“From?”

 

Angela sighs. “I just needed to think about things.”

 

“Like?” She glances over to Fareeha to see her with her own smirk on her face. “I wouldn't have to ask if you weren't being so ominous and vague,” she teases. “You can talk to me, you know.”

 

“I know.”

 

It’s been approximately three weeks since they first met, and Angela had to admit that they had become relatively close. She simply got along so well with the Egyptian woman (a fact Fareeha shared with her after Angela mentioned her own Swiss background). The topic was forgotten momentarily once they reached their destination; the cafeteria.

 

Fareeha looks at her in question, knowing that any chance of getting food here at this time of the night simply wasn’t possible. In reply, Angela motions towards the vending machines in the section of the large eating hall. “I thought now would be a better time than ever to enlighten you of the choco-chip ice cream sandwich.”

 

Fareeha couldn’t help but laugh. The two made their way to the picnic-style tables closest to the vending machines. Angela helps her sit down on one of the benches, back to the table. She walks to the vending machine and buys two of the ice cream treats, handing one to Fareeha as she took a seat next to her. She wasted no time in opening hers, exhaling in satisfaction after she took her first bite. She loved these things so much. It has been a while since she last had one. She looks over to see Fareeha examining hers. “Try it, its good I swear!” She takes another bite as if to emphasize her point.

 

Fareeha opens her own, removing it from the packaging to analyze it once more. It was indeed nothing more than ice cream in between two soft chocolate chip cookies, and it's not like she hasn't eaten cookies before. She goes all in and takes a nice bite out of it, eyes closing shut at the sudden sensitivity of the cold against her teeth. Besides that she had no complaints. It was good. Too good, actually, for just cookies and ice cream. What was in this thing?

 

“Mmm, you were right. This thing is delicious.”

 

“I told you.”

 

“No really, this is like addicting good,” she says in between mouthfuls. The cold isn’t even in the picture anymore. All too soon her treat was gone, and she stares at her messy hands in sadness. “I kinda want another.”

 

“As your doctor, I don’t think another would fit well into your diet,” laughs the doctor. Fareeha pouts, rising another light chuckle from the blonde. “Buuuuut, as your friend, I'm sure sharing one more wouldn't do much harm.”

 

Fareeha’s face lights up as Angela gets up to buy another one. She attempts her hardest to break it evenly in half, face scrunched slightly in concentration which Fareeha couldn’t help but find it absolutely adorable. In the end one half does come out larger than the other, which she offers to the Egyptian despite her protests. Eventually she gives in and takes the larger half, but Angela knows that she secretly was hoping for the bigger piece anyway. They fall into silence again as Fareeha demolishes her half, Angela eyeing her in amazement.

 

“I better not find any of these wrappers in your room when I come by, Amari.”

 

“Please, as if I'd be dumb enough to even take the evidence back to my room, Detective Ziegler.”

 

They share a few more laughs and bicker a little more about seriously not having to add obesity to her list of health concerns before falling into a comfortable silence, the faint humming of the vending machines sounds in the background. It was nice. Fareeha looked over and saw Angela staring down at her lap, her right wrist held in her other hand. She looked like she was contemplating something, like she was thinking of the words to say, so Fareeha waited patiently. Eventually, she looked up, catching her attention.

 

“I wish I didn’t care so much about this whole soulmate thing.” Eyebrows raised, as this wasn’t what she expected to hear from her, Fareeha turns on the bench to face the doctor. “The other night… The date didn’t really work out. Afterwards, I thought about what you said. I’ve been so caught up all these years in trying to find this person who I knew had to be out there for me. But, I think I’ve just been using it as an excuse to find a reason to be happy.”

 

Fareeha listens attentively to her words, eyes focused on her as she spoke.

 

“I lost both of my parents when I was very young, and at the same time a lost something inside of me too. I could no longer find joy in the things I used to find joy in. I started living with my uncle, and I'm sure he noticed I wasn’t my usual self…” Angela looks back down at her wrist, toying with the fabric of her coat. Fareeha watches the area as well, wondering. Wondering whether that was where her mark was or not. “He used to tell me about soulmates. He told me my parents were soulmates, brought together by their desire to help others.” She paused. Her eyes were beginning to water, but she wouldn’t allow herself to cry. “It just sounded so nice. I asked him about soulmates every day, and I couldn’t wait to get my own mark and begin my own search. I just wanted to be happy again… I—”

 

“I never believed in soulmates.”

 

The sudden statement from the woman besides her brought Angela’s attention up. Fareeha was staring off into the distance, head turned, focused, eyebrows furrowed in thought.

 

“My mother did, even though she never found hers. It all sounded so stupid to me.” By now Angela had turned to sit sideways on the bench as well, both of them now facing each other. “Even when I did get my mark, I still thought it was all bullshit.”

 

“But what about now?”

 

She tries to smile, but it ends up a sad, slight frown. “I still think it's bullshit,” she admits, exhaling shortly. “But, it is real, and once you’re certain you know who it is, the feeling is indeed…. Something.”

 

At this admission Angela, perks up. She believed very much in soulmates, but it was indeed a rare occurrence in this generation and she knew of no one who actually found theirs. “So you’ve met your soulmate? What was it like?”

 

“It was…” She paused, thinking of the right word. “It felt like I found a part of me.” At that Angela’s smile widens, but it fades away once she notices the sad look on Fareeha’s face. As if knowing she wanted to ask about it, she continued. “I haven’t told her though.”

 

“Why no— Oh…”

 

“Yeah, I probably don’t have much time left.” Angela frowned. She hadn’t visited the woman these past few days, but she still went over the data the nurses had taken. Her nanobots had no effect and the MRI results showed that the muscles in her legs had begun deteriorating. The sudden spike in activity was worrying for her, as her tests thus far have shown little to no drastic changes to her body. She had spent some time trying to figure out what triggered it, but came up with nothing. Fareeha noticed her falling into her thoughts and gave her a light flick on the nose. “Hey, its okay. It’s not like this is news to either of us right? We both knew the chances of my survival were slim.”

 

“Fareeha…”

 

“It’s okay, Angela. It’s okay,” she says, her voice fading slightly on the second utterance, because she knew deep down that it wasn't.  

 

There was a sudden chill in the room, causing Fareeha to shiver slightly. Well trained eyes, caught sight of it immediately. “Are you cold?”

 

Angela began to slip off her white coat to give to her since she still had her dark gray turtleneck on underneath. Naturally, Fareeha prepared to protest and play it off like she wasn’t really cold. As Angela pulled her arms out of the white sleeves of the coat, however, Fareeha caught sight of a marking on her wrist. The sleeve of her undershirt was pulled back to the middle of her forearm, leaving her wrists open and nothing to hide the symbol etched into her skin. Fareeha froze on the spot, swallowing hard. Angela takes her lack of movement as acceptance of her offering and slips the jacket around her shoulders. All the while, Fareeha’s eyes remain fixed on her wrist, on the white feather imprinted there. She feels a tug in her chest and, almost mechanically, her hand rubs at that exact spot.

 

“Do you experience chest pains often, Fareeha?” The voice pulls her eyes away from the doctor's wrist and she finds Angela looking at her in concern, doctor mode now activated. She inches closer, their legs touching now. “I notice you rubbing that particular spot a lot. I can take a look if you like.”

 

She reaches a hand out towards her, moving to touch the spot herself but only hovering there, waiting for permission to do so. Permission which Fareeha denies when she grabs hold of her wrist, guiding it back down to her lap. “It's nothing. Just an itch.”

 

She lowers her head at the skeptical look the doctor gives her, and thankfully she doesn't pursue the issue any further. Staring down she realizes Fareeha still holding her hand and blushes. She rubs her thumb against her hand to remind her of such, and Fareeha immediately jerks her hand back with a string of apologies to which Angela chuckles into her palm. Realizing it's gotten late they both agree it's time to head back. They walk in silence, each thinking heavily about life, what the future holds, and, unbeknownst to either of them, each other.

 

As time goes by Fareeha’s health begins its slow decline. Every few days Angela revises the formula for her nanobiotics, running tests and the like in attempts to find something to at least slow down the rate at which her illness was affecting her. All her attempts would come to show no results and slowly Angela found that she was losing faith in her research. Fareeha had also taken a hit to her personality. Their time spent together was no longer chatty and full of laughs. Some days they didn't even bother sharing their daily fact.

 

After a few weeks of continued failed attempts with the nanobots, Angela receives news from the nurses that Fareeha had fallen in her attempt to get to the bathroom. Of course she had rushed to the room as soon as she heard to make sure the woman was okay. A few tests later and, as expected, it's shown that the muscles in her legs had weakened significantly. Angela could only stand back and watch as she slowly withdrew herself from the world. She made attempts to cheer her up whenever she could, but it hardly ever had any effect. She had even brought her an ice cream sandwich which she had found melted the next day, untouched in the same spot where she placed it.

 

Fareeha’s episode of depression rubbed off on Angela a bit as well. She felt down, staying in her office most of the day when she wasn't needed elsewhere. She hadn't even bothered arranging anymore of those stupid dates, too unbothered to care about a soulmate at the moment. Satya had came by to question her well being, even, stating that the blonde seemed a little off lately. Of course she assured her that things were fine, but in reality things were not fine. They had certainly taken a turn for the worse.

 

It was a late Sunday night when Angela found herself still in her office, going over her research in hopes of finding some kind of breakthrough. She eyes the time at the bottom corner of her screen and sees it's way past midnight. It was about time to start heading home. Making sure her files were saved, she shuts down her computer and puts any open papers on her desk back into their folders. A few moments later and she's walking down the empty halls of the hospital, silent except for the click of her heels on the floor.

 

It has to be fate that her ears pick up a sound coming from one of the rooms. It has to be fate that she looks at the room number to see room 690; Fareeha’s room.

 

Angela stops, debating whether she should go in or not. It is late. Chances are she would be sleeping. Her eyes glance to the door and she walks closer to it. Soon enough she's pushing down on the handle, opening the door slowly as she slips in, shutting it gently behind her. It was dark minus the illuminating light from the moon through the windows. Fareeha is sat up in bed, clearly not sleeping, as she looked out the window. The first step she took alerted the other if her presence, heels not being stealthy in any way. Upon noticing her she immediately wipes at her face with the back of her hand.

 

_Is she crying?_

 

“Doctor,” a pause as she tries to stifle a sniffle. Angela confirms that she is, or at least was definitely crying. “What are you doing here so late?”

 

Upon reaching the edge of the bed Angela can see the redness that clouded the whites of her eyes. She had managed to wipe away the wetness on her face, but Angela was no fool. The thought of Fareeha sitting in bed all alone crying about the cruel fate she's been handed leaves a bad taste in her mouth. She places her jacket on a nearby chair before sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. She reaches a hand to cup the side of her face, her thumb wipes away tears that begin to spill over.

 

“I'm not here as your doctor tonight, Fareeha. I'm here as your friend.”

 

The tears fall freely now, not that she could have stopped them had she wanted to. Angela removes her shoes to sit further onto the bed, pulling Fareeha into her arms and laying them back to rest against the reclined top of the bed. She holds the crying woman in her arms, head resting against her chest as she cried silent tears, fingers combing through her hair in comfort. A part of her wondered when the last time the woman in her arms had received such contact. When the last time someone held her was. When the last time she received even a hug. How long she's been in this hospital, dying. The thoughts brought about tears of her own, partially for reasons she understood but mostly because of a feeling she couldn't place. The tears slowly trickle down the side of her face before she could stop them, to fall down against Fareeha’s. She tilts her head up towards the blonde at the sudden wetness, reaching up with a hand to her face to wipe them away. Her hand lingers there, even after the last of the tears are gone.

 

“Hmm, I'm conflicted about who should be comforting who now,” she jokes, in hopes of brightening Angela's spirits. It works. She can feel the muscles of her face moving into a smile beneath her hand.

 

“Tell me something, Fareeha.”

 

The woman in question sits up so that they now lay side by side, her underneath the blankets and Angela on top. Her eyes glance down fair skinned arms down to her hands which fiddle idly in her lap now. The white feather catches her attention once again, triggering an odd sensation in her chest that was very much different from all the other times. This time, it hurt. “I am dying,” she says finally, turning to make eye contact as she does so.

 

Angela frowns at this. That wasn't what she had expected to hear. “Tell me something else.”

 

“I don't want to die.”

 

“Fareeha… I'm not sure this is comforting for you or me, at this point.”

 

“Speak for yourself. I’ve got nothing but comfort with a beautiful lady lying here next to me in my bed.”

 

“Always the flatterer aren't you,” comes Angela's reply, even though she's trying to fight back the blush painted on her face. She turns to look at Fareeha, and for the first time since they met she truly _looks_ at her. Has she always been so beautiful? So absolutely stunning? Her face is serious and her gaze is strong. For a second she feels it to be too much, breaking the eye contact for a small moment. The longer _she_ looked into her eyes she felt a strange feeling in her center. The longer Fareeha looked at _her_ , she felt her heart rate increase rapidly.

 

It seemed like she was thinking heavily on something, weighing in her mind whether to ask or not. She comes to her decision, though, as she speaks, “Angela. Will you grant me one dying wish?”

 

Another frown. “Fareeha, don't...”

 

“I'm serious, Angela.” The change in the tone of her voice was all she needed to understand how important this was to Fareeha. “I'll understand if you say no… And if you do say no, I don't want it to change anything between us… and—”

 

Her rambling was silenced by Angela's hands on both side of her face. She didn't know what kind of request the woman could have. But she knew for certain that in these past weeks since they've met, something was built between them. She had somehow become one of the most important people in Angela’s life without her even realizing it. “Fareeha. I'd give you anything you want if I have it to give. What do you want, Schatz?”

 

She swallows hard. Her hand comes up to grab one of Angela's from her face, thumb sliding across her palm before working its way down to the feather imprinted in her skin. She gets that feeling in her chest again— the good kind, this time— and it gives her the push she needed to really go through with this. If she were to die tomorrow she would die happy knowing that she could at least have this. Their eyes meet one more time, Angela’s questioning and Fareeha’s ready to give the answer.

 

“You, Angela. I want you.”

 

Oh.

 

_Oh._

 

She wanted to think that she misheard, but there was no mistaking the words that came from in between her lips. Angela's face was set aflame at the request and she suddenly became much more aware of how close they were. Much more aware of the hand on Fareeha’s face, her other hand within her grasp. Much more aware of the brown eyes asking her— no, pleading her for this. Every part of her brain was telling her no, the logical side knowing how wrong it would be. But her heart, her poor heart, tired of this neverending search for a soulmate who may not even exist screamed at her to say yes. Outside of her internal battle, the woman in front of her waits ever so patiently for an answer.

 

One look into the eyes in front of her and she knows her decision. She leans closer and repositioning the hand on Fareeha’s cheek she pulls her in as well until their foreheads touch, closing her eyes. Fareeha wants this. She needs this.

 

_But what do you want, Angela?_

 

What does she want?

 

Finally she opens her eyes, smiling softly as she breathes out the words. Who even was she kidding? She needs this just as much as her.

 

“Yes.”

 

Those words were all she needed to hear.

 

As soon as they were spoken Fareeha closed the gap between them, capturing her mouth with her own. Something she couldn’t describe washed through Angela at the contact. Something akin to a shiver that traveled through every inch of her body. She couldn’t stop the slight whimper from escaping the back of her throat, that sudden feeling and the absolute softness of Fareeha’s lips on hers too much. They break apart momentarily but Angela's arms wrapped around Fareeha's neck pulls them back together, a tongue darting across her lips the signal she needs to open her mouth, deepening the kiss.

 

The blankets are thrown away as Fareeha moves to straddle the smaller woman. A sharp push on her shoulder reverses the situation, though, and Fareeha finds herself pinned against the bed, Angela’s hands on her shoulders. She groans in irritation through their kiss and she can feel the other’s smile against her mouth.

 

“Angela,” she gasps, breaking their kiss as she tries once more to flip their positions. “This isn't exactly what I had in mind…” She groans again at the ‘tsk tsk’ she received in return, a finger waggled in her face for extra effect.

 

“I’m still your doctor, and I’m not going to let you put unnecessary strain on your legs.”

 

“This strain _is_ necessary, Doctor,” she mumbles into her neck, having leaned forward suck the skin there. Angela’s head tilts back to accommodate her, hands moving to bury themselves in her hair. With her fate accepted, Fareeha moves to make do with the hand she’s been dealt. She wraps an arm around a petite waist as she pushes herself into an upright position, making sure to ‘accidentally’ push her thigh up into Angela’s center as she did so. She muffles her squeal from the action into Fareeha’s neck as tanned hands reach up to unbutton her blouse. She hadn’t even bothered to get all of them open before her mouth was on her chest, pulling the cups to her bra with her teeth.

 

Angela’s arms found their way back around her neck as she worked. She could tell she succeeded once she felt the warm wetness of her mouth around a taut nipple, followed by the cold air of the room when she pulled away. It was then that Angela really thought about the absurdity of this situation. That she, a doctor, was currently in the process of being bedded by her patient, and still in the hospital at that. She was pretty sure there’s a rule somewhere stating she could get fired for this.

 

Any potential worries crumbled once she felt Fareeha’s fingers brush against her through her underwear, the short skirt she was wearing barely a hindrance. Hands still tangled in dark locks, she pulls her head out of her breasts to claim her mouth once again, stifling her moans as she continued to toy with her. She found herself rolling her hips, grinding into her hand in a silent plea for more. Fareeha on the other hand felt like she was in a good place, leaving all sorts of marks across Angela’s breast between the licking and suckling as she continued to rub and apply pressure through the now damp fabric. The teasing of her fingers was driving Angela insane, her cries getting a little louder. It was becoming too much. She needed more.

 

“Please, Fareeha,” she moaned into the top of her head. She pushes them back down so they lay on the recline again. Apparently this was the initiative the Egyptian needed to finally pull her panties to the side slide a single finger through her folds oh so slowly. She exhales heavily at the contact but whimpers once she realizes Fareeha only means to continue her teasing. Now that there's physical contact, that she can feel the warmth of Fareeha’s fingers against her, she only needs it more.

 

“Tell me what you want.” Fareeha's breath is on her ear now, her tongue tracing the curve of the top of it before pulling the lobe into her mouth. Her free hand works against soft mounds of flesh in place of her mouth.

 

She snakes her hand down between them, sliding down Fareeha’s body over her gown to find purchase between her legs. There was no barrier of fabric here, the gown being the only article of clothing patients are allowed to wear. She can hear Fareeha’s breath hitch in her ear when she rubbed a finger against her, turning the tables.  She teased the woman below her using the same methods Fareeha was using on her, making sure to tease agonizingly slow. The sound of her low moans were like music to Angela’s ears.

 

“I want you to stop being a tease,” she breathes. She trails her finger through Fareeha’s folds, reveling at the sounds she made in response. She dare begin to push her finger inside her, but Fareeha's hand on her own stops her, their eyes meet as if Angela is questioning why she stopped her. She receives her answer when Fareeha suddenly takes two fingers and plunges them inside of her. Unexpected as it was, there was nothing she could do to stop the moan that escaped her. A wave of pleasure swallows her at the feeling and for a second she felt she could come undone right then and there

 

The slowness from before is forgotten as she feels those long fingers begin to pump into her. Her mouth is on Fareeha's face trying to connect with her lips to release her moans against them. When she adds in a third finger so easily, swallowing her cries with her mouth. She could feel her release building quickly, her hips rocking against Fareeha’s hand. She was so close, her muscles tightening as she felt herself reaching her peak. Fareeha must have felt it too. She was right on the edge when Fareeha pulls out. Angela whines at the sudden emptiness, all too ready to berate the woman for playing around, when she’s was suddenly lifted by hands under her thighs. In shock her hands wrap securely around Fareeha’s shoulders as their positions are switched, and she finds herself pinned under her.

 

“Fareeha Amari, what did I—”

 

She was silenced by their mouths coming together again, however this time there was an urgency in the woman above her that wasn’t there before. Her eyes followed the head of black hair as she began her descent downwards, trailing kisses all the way. She hovers over her destination just briefly before diving in, no warning as she devours Angela’s lips.

 

Angela cries out at the intense feeling of pleasure that washes over her, Fareeha relentless in her ministrations. Everything about this just feels so _right._ So perfect, as if Fareeha is right where she should be. Her hand reached down to grab a fistful of dark hair, her other one between her teeth in a futile attempt to muffle her moans. Fareeha’s own hand comes up to grasp hers, pulling it away from her mouth all the while her mouth and tongue work wonders on her sex. She replaces said hand with two of her fingers, pushing them into her mouth at the same time she thrusts her fingers into her again. Angela moans around the fingers in her mouth, sucking on them to try and lessen the noise she made.

 

They continue in a steady rhythm, Fareeha working Angela back up to the edge. Her cries become more frequent as she feels herself being built up, and soon she comes undone, moaning into Fareeha’s fingers as she squirmed into the bed in an attempt to push Fareeha away as she continued to lap at the now sensitive flesh.

 

“Mein Gott, _Fareeha,_ ” she manages around the fingers still in her mouth. She feels that smirk against her as the Egyptian continues, sending her body into another set of tremors, her cries at this point come out as silent squeals and quiet whimpers. Fareeha leans up to place a series of light kisses down Angela’s face, her fingers still working to ease her down from her high. She purposely hits a spot she knows to be sensitive, eliciting a gasp from Angela that she captures with her mouth, pulling her into a deep kiss.

 

She finally pulls her fingers away once the tremors stop, bringing them up to her mouth to lick clean, grinning all the while. She rolls over to Angela's right, laying on her side to admire her, still basking in the feeling of everything that just happened. Exhaustion creeps up on her and she acknowledges that Angela was right as her muscles are now sore from bearing her weight. Even just laying on her side is strainful so she rolls down into her back. No less than a few seconds later Angela turns to lay on her chest, breathing out a happy sigh.

 

“It's nice to know flirting and flattery isn't the only thing you can use your mouth for.”

 

“Oh?” Fareeha leans back in surprise. “Dr. Ziegler, are you impressed?” She doesn't reply, but she decides to let it go. “Stay with me for the night?”

 

Angela looks up to her pleading eyes. She knows she risks getting caught every second longer she stays here, but a part of her couldn't say no. Surely if she left before the nurses began morning rounds she should be fine. Once the thought came the exhaustion suddenly overcame her. Combined with the warmth of being cuddled up in Fareeha’a arms… “Only because you asked so nicely.”

 

They lay in comfortable silence after that, sleep creeping up ever so slowly before Angela speaks up.

 

“Fareeha?”

 

It comes out as a slight slur, as she borders on the edge of sleep.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Do you trust me?”

 

Fareeha sits up to meet her gaze, any feeling of sleep gone in that moment. She takes her face in her hands, brushing the hair from her face as she speaks her next words, “I trust you with my life, Angela Ziegler.”

 

And those words were just what she needed to compel her to fight till the very end.

 

* * *

 

Angela awakes the next morning and even though she's huddled up on a hospital bed meant for one and she doesn't have a pillow, it was the best sleep she's gotten in a long while. She awakens laying on her stomach, Fareeha laying the same way half on her, half on the bed. Her weight on her back provided a odd sense of comfort that brought a smile to her face, before it fell once she realized just _where_ exactly she was.

 

_Oh fuck._

 

A glance at the clock on the wall showed fifteen past seven. Rounds start at seven sharp. Slowly, as to not wake Fareeha, she slips out of bed. She puts her shoes on and buttons the unbuttoned section of her blouse. Smoothing down her skirt she l grabs her jacket, stopping at the door to take one more look at the sleeping form in bed. Her hair was fanned across her face and it would move occasionally as she breathed. It was adorable to say the least. A thought crosses her mind before she even finds herself acknowledging it. For a second she thinks that she would love if fate had handed her Fareeha as a soulmate. In an alternate universe where she wasn't sick and she apparently hadn't already found a soulmate of her own. Once it registered what exactly she had just thought of her face reddened in embarrassment. Even as she slipped out the door and down to her office she still couldn't get the thought out of her head.

 

She thought back to when Fareeha had talked to her about soulmates and how she had found hers. She thought about how she said she hadn't told them, and she couldn't blame her. Fareeha was unsure of how much time she had left or even if she'd make it through all this mess. And knowing Fareeha as a person, she wouldn't bring it up as no one would want to finally find their soulmate only to find out that they're slowly dying.

 

Angela frowns at the thought, at how cruel life seems to be towards the bronze skinned woman. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed her boss walking towards her down the hall.

 

“Dr. Ziegler, you're here earlier than usual.”

 

Angela jumps at the sound of her voice. Satya Vaswani was the absolute _last_ person she needed to run into right now. Hair slightly tousled, still wearing the same clothes from yesterday… The odds were not in her favor this morning.

 

“Goodmorning, Chief Vaswani,” she greets. She decides if she ignores her comment the older woman would just let it slide.

 

She doesn't.

 

“Are those the same clothes you were wearing yesterday?”

 

Angela feigns shock as she takes in her outfit. “Oh wow would you look at that.” She forces out a laugh. “I got dressed in the dark this morning, I didn't even notice.”

 

Satya eyes her with a skeptical look. She knows something is off. Angela knows she knows something is off, but a part of her is praying to every god she can think of that she decides to leave it alone.

 

“It's actually a good thing I ran into you. I've been having some issues with my tablet.”

 

_Thank the heavens._

 

Angela breathes a mental exhale in relief that the topic has been changes. She watches as Satya pulls out her tablet to explain what's wrong with it. Apparently the touch mechanism is all jumbled. Pressing certain letters on the keyboard types a different letter instead, touching on the left side registers as a touch on the right. She wasn't too tech savvy at all, but she knew this was just a simple signal error. “Have you tried turning it off and turning it back on?” She receives a glare at the question to which she decides to elaborate. “I mean like a hard reset to actually reset the hardware inside. It's just a minor communication error. The signals from the motherboard must get mixed up along the way, changing the outcome of the command. Computers are kinda like the human brain so it's not too hard to get the gyst of.”

 

She smiles when Satya nods her head in understanding, accepting the tablet back. They go their delegate ways after that and as Angela continues her walk down the hall, a massive thought hits her. She freezes as she thinks back to what she just said.

 

Computers are kinda like the human brain…

 

Signals getting mixed up along the way…

 

She thinks back to the tablet. It was mechanically sound and working, but something inside simply malfunctioned. She then thinks back to a particular patient of hers who is healthy beyond reason but something inside of her is malfunctioning…

 

It hits her like a epiphany and she finds herself turning around calling out to her senior to share her sudden discovery.

 

“So you're telling me you want to hard reset her brain?”

 

Angela looks at the woman sitting in the desk across from her with the utmost certainty. “Yes.”

 

“Angela. Explain.” When the blonde doctor had came to her saying she figured out what was wrong with Fareeha Amari, this wasn't exactly the answer she was expecting.

 

“So the issue with your tablet was that the touch sensors weren't registering properly. A touch on one part of the screen registered as a touch somewhere else. This was because signals of some sort inside were clearly getting scrambled and a simple reset solved it. Now I don't know much about technical hardware, but I do know about human hardware.” Satya leans forward, her chin resting on her hands as she listened intently. “There is nothing internally wrong with Fareeha Amari. There are no abnormalities found anywhere, all of her tests come back positive, but her body is slowly shutting down. How does one explain her the weakening of her legs so suddenly? Well it has to be miscommunication between her brain and her body. Her brain has to be sending the wrong signals. The body only does what the brain tells it to and if the brain is telling it to weaken…” She gestures with her hands, questioning whether the other woman saw where she was going with this or not.

 

“Alright, that makes sense, but scans on the brain also come up clear.”

 

“And that's because there's nothing outwardly wrong with it. It's like a malfunction of sorts.”

 

Angela's brain was flowing with potential ideas of what exactly this problem could be. It was all of course still speculation, but she was currently thinking up new hypothesis at a mile a second. She honestly couldn't believe she hadn't thought of this before.

 

“Listen, I know this all sounds absurd, but if you can give me a week I feel confident I'll be able to have a written report with a solution to this problem.”

 

At that Satya raised a high eyebrow. She knew Angela was indeed a confident doctor, but such a display of conviction, especially in regards to a case that had the whole hospital stumped, surprised her. Still, she had no doubt in her mind that if anyone could come to an answer, it would be Angela Ziegler.

 

“Alright, Angela. You have one week.”

 

The blonde’s grin was full of confidence. One week was more than enough time.

 

With her one week deadline, Angela officially went into overdrive mode. She spent every waking hour in the hospital and lived off of caffeine. When she could she did whatever work she could in Fareeha's room on her laptop so they could share the satisfaction of each other's company. Ever since the other night something changed between them, but in a good way. A _very_ good way. It was like they somehow felt closer. Unfortunately, Fareeha was getting worse at an alarmingly quickening pace. On a good day she had just enough energy to sit up and talk with her, but for most of the week she slept. Somehow she was never too exhausted for a kiss or two. Angela very much appreciated the sentiment.

 

It was one particular night when Angela was sitting in a chair pushed up to the side of Fareeha’s bed. They decided that night time was the best time to _really_ spend time together without having to worry too much about being bothered. It was the final day of her deadline to report back to Satya and she had everything ready to present to her. As such she had some spare time to spend in each other's company.

 

Fareeha was laying in bed, eyes closed but definitely awake. There was an IV attached to her arm now that she wasn't eating properly or getting enough fluids. She was also connected to a heart monitor as well, the steady beeping of the machine flowing into the ambience of the room. Angela begins to think about the upcoming days, how tomorrow would basically decide whether she saves Fareeha or not. She had wanted to tell her about the surgery she had planned but Fareeha was adamant that she not know anything about it. She didn’t even want to know when it was going to happen. If everything did work out though, she’d most likely have to do some physical therapy to get her strength back, but after that she would be a free woman again, free to do whatever she pleased. Angela thought heavily about them and what exactly this thing they had going on was. Whether this thing they had would continue if Fareeha ever gotten better. She did say she found her soulmate already. Why would she bother with her if there was someone out there waiting?

 

Angela was brought out of her musing by an extremely weak flick to the forehead.

 

“I don’t even need to have my eyes open to know that you’re thinking too heavily about something irrelevant, Angela.” Pouting, she sits up from her previous position of leaning on the side of the bed to sit more upright. “Judging from your brooding nature today, I’d like to assume something major may be happening soon.” She pauses, taking some time steady her breathing before continuing. “Are you really going to spend our last bit of time together lost in thought?”

 

“It's not our last time together. I’ll come back tomorrow after I speak with my boss.”

 

Fareeha ‘mhmmms’ in response. “Just to be safe, let's say this will be our last.”

 

Angela’s eyes narrow, suspecting that Fareeha might know something that she doesn’t know. She waves away the possibility though. She remembers her thoughts from before she was interrupted and figures now would be a better time than ever to get some clarification. “Fareeha, what am I to you?”

 

It was a question she had been wondering ever since that night. Ever since the beginning of this strange relationship they’ve built. She wants to believe that night was more than just some kind of stress reliever for the both of them. Does Fareeha really like her like that? What about this mystery soulmate she has out there?

 

“That day, when you found me outside that window... Did you not feel it, too?” Those sudden words grabs her attention and she tries to think back to that day, trying to remember if she felt anything odd. All she could do was stare back in confusion as no such memory came to mind. Fareeha sees her confusion and frowns briefly before shaking her head. “Nevermind. Just know that I like you very much, Angela Ziegler. More than you know.”

 

In her eyes, Angela could have sworn she saw glimmer of something, but she closed them again with a sigh as she sank further into the bed. To be honest, she still didn’t quite get it. But she was certain that Fareeha had something she wasn’t telling her. “You’re being quite foreboding tonight, and I can’t say I particularly enjoy it.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Angela frowns. She had meant it as a joke, but apparently the other woman truly felt that way. She wanted to say more, but Fareeha spoke first. “I actually think I’d really like to get some rest now.”

 

It wasn't hard to tell that was a cue for Angela to leave. Sadly, she stands and pushes her chair back to its original position. Fareeha's hand reaches out to her and she takes it in hers, smiling at her thumb caressing her wrist. She makes a weak attempt to tug Angela closer, barely able to even pull her arm. She gets the hint however and moves so she's standing right next to the bed. Fareeha smiles up at her in the way that, Angela's come to realize, only she can smile.

 

“A kiss to make me feel better?”

 

Angela's expression matches hers at the request and she reaches a hand up to push some hair out of her face. “You're ridiculous, you know,” she replies, bending down to place a brief kiss on her lips.

 

“But that's why you love me right?” Angela's heart skips a beat at the L-word, but she doesn't have time to dwell on it as Fareeha speaks again. “A kiss for good luck?”

 

This time she can't help but smirk at her antics, but of course she gives in, bending over to press their lips together once more, albeit for a little longer than the first.

 

“You spoil me, Doctor.”

 

“I suppose I do.”

 

“Spoil me once more with a kiss goodnight?”

 

“Fareeha…” She tries to sound bothered but fails. They both knew she was enjoying this just as much.

 

“This will be the last one, I swear.”

 

“Fine, fine. One more,” she warns. They'd honestly be here all night if they kept this up.

 

Once again she leans down. Their lips meet, but this time it is Fareeha who takes the initiative, capturing the blonde's lips between her own. Immediately Angela could tell that this was different. She felt the silent plea of her tongue and against her better nature, obliged by opening her mouth for her. The steady beeping of the heart monitor increases steadily in pace as they're both lost in each other. Angela brings her knee up onto the bed to steady herself, both her hands on either side of Fareeha’s face.

 

The thought occurs to Angela that this is more than a kiss; that this is Fareeha’s silent answer to all of her doubts. This is Fareeha's speaking to her the words trapped on the tip of her tongue, and Angela hears—no, she feels them all. She feels the water in her eyes build because she knows that this kiss is a thank you, a confession, and most of all a goodbye.

 

When they finally part, they bring their foreheads together as they catch their breath, Fareeha more so as the rapid beating of the monitor falls back into a steady rhythm. That clearly took a lot more energy than she truly had to give, and she felt herself falling too easily into sleep. She barely manages to crack an eye open, barely able to take Angela's hand in hers and guide it; placing it over her chest.

 

“Goodnight, Angela.”

 

She's asleep faster than Angela could even give a reply. She stood there half standing half kneeling on the bed, thinking over everything she was just told like the words were etched onto her lips forever. Her thumb brushes over the spot on her chest and she feels a pulsing in her wrist. Bringing it up closer she examines the white feather there, the white feather that held its control over her. All this time she's wasted trying to find a soulmate destined for her when in actuality anyone could truly be her soulmate if wished it. A symbol etched into your skin shouldn't determine that.

 

Her eyes study the woman before her one last time before she stands up straight, ready to go home and get some rest. She makes it to the door, hand on the handle when she stops and turns around once more.

 

“I very much like you too, Fareeha Amari.”

 

* * *

 

Angela's meeting with the chief goes well. Satya looks over her notes and the procedure she would like to perform and approved of it all the way. It is an advanced procedure which would essentially involve shutting down the brain and then literally restarting it using the help of the nanobots that Angela is certain she has perfected. She had a good feeling about today on her commute to work. She somehow _knew_ that everything was going to work out fine.

 

She watched as Satya finished the last page of the binder she had created, typing some notes into her tablet afterwards. “This is groundbreaking stuff, Dr. Ziegler. If this works you could start seeing the tidbits of fame amongst the medical world.”

 

She blushes at the thought, but honestly that's the last thing she even cared about at this point. She simply wants this surgery to make Fareeha better.

 

“So when will we perform the surgery?”

 

At her question, the woman across from her gives her a look, and it is with that look that all the good feelings that Angela had coming into this dissipates.

 

“The surgery I'd like to have done as soon as possible. Amari’s getting bad faster than before so the quicker this happens the better.” Angela nods in agreement but still has this bad feeling. “However…”

 

_Oh no…_

 

“You, Angela, will not be taking part.”

 

A pause.

 

Silence.

 

Did she hear that correctly? “Excuse me?”

 

Satya pulls out a paper from her drawer and slides it over to the blonde.

 

“I'm placing you on temporary leave, Angela,” she hears her say as she reads over the text on the page. Surely enough her boss has placed her on two weeks leave and it had been approved by those higher up as well.

 

At first she felt confusion, but then she felt the slight tendrils of anger creeping up on her. “W-why? I don't understand…”

 

“You know exactly why, Angela.” And it was true, she did, but to her that didn't mean she couldn't operate. “You've clearly grown attached to the patient. I can't have you operate on her like that, you know the protocol, Angela.”

 

And just like that her good day was turned into a bad one. “You can't just do this...”

 

“Your leave starts now so gather your things. I don't want to see you anywhere in these halls until the surgery is over. You can wait in the waiting room if you like.”

 

A part of her didn't believe this was actually happening, but a part of her should have seen this coming. She thought back to last night; that feeling that Fareeha knew something that she didn't. This was it. She knew they weren't going to let her operate. How had she been so blind? There would be no arguing with her higher up if she wished to keep her job. This decision was final.

 

“Can I at least go see her?”

 

“No. I just put in an order to have her prepped for surgery,” she replied motioning to the tablet she was just typing on. She takes note of the devastated state of her best employee and sighs. “Listen, Angela. I'm sorry. But it has to be done.”

 

“Who will perform the surgery then?”

 

“I will.”

 

The blonde exhales. That is a relief. Probably the best news she's gotten so far. If there were any hands in this hospital more capable than hers, it was going to be the chief herself. It reassured her to know Satya would be the one working on Fareeha, but it still troubled her that she wouldn't get to be there. “Please take care of her.”

 

A smile. “I will.”

 

“And you're sure you understand the procedure.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I can go over it with you once more if you like.”

 

“That won't be necessary.”

 

“What if there's any complic—”

 

“Angela. Go get some rest.”

 

Satya gave her a look that was as stern in her command, but also apologetic. A part of Angela knew she would let her operate if she could. It was clearly just as much out of her hands as it was herself. She was reluctant, but slowly she stood to leave. She felt so compelled to do something even though there was nothing she could do. With her fate accepted, Angela leaves Satya’s office, beginning her slow walk to the exit. Without thinking she walks down a familiar hallway. She glances up to see room 690. The door is open and she can’t help herself from looking inside.

 

There are two nurses in there. Why are there two nurses in there?

 

Crossing the hall to get closer to the door she can hear them frantically calling for someone to page a doctor. They’re hovered over the bed, one of them is using a manual resuscitator. The rapid beeping of the heart rate monitor reaches her ears. She’s in the doorway now as she hears them once again call for a doctor.

 

A doctor. _I’m a doctor._

 

She steps into the room. She too feels frantic but she can only walk. One of the nurses notice her, turning to face her.

 

“Dr. Ziegler you’re not supposed to be in here.”

 

“I’m her doctor. W-whats happening?”

 

She tries to get closer to the scene, her legs move urgently now. The sounds from the heart rate monitor increase in pace. She can faintly hear someone telling her she needs to leave, something about Chief Vaswani’s order, but she pays them no mind. The sight she sees before her rips at her heart.

 

In the bed is unconscious Fareeha, spasming slightly and clearly having trouble breathing. Her brain automatically tells her she’s  going into cardiac arrest.

 

_No, no no no…_

 

There’s a hand on her arm. She shakes it off, eyes wide as she turns to the nurse next to her. “Dr. Ziegler we have orders, you can’t be here.”

 

She pushes past them anyway, easily clearing around to the other side of the bed. Orders or not, she’d be damned if she let Fareeha die before she even gets into surgery. “If the Chief has a problem with me saving a life then so fucking be it. Now if you’re going to stand there doing nothing, go get me a defibrillator,” the doctor yells orders.When the nurse makes no move to go anywhere she turns to her again. “That means now!”

 

Once they leave, hopefully to do as she told them, she turns to the other nurse who continues to pump air into Fareeha’s lungs with the resuscitator.

 

_That’s fine._

 

She pulls out her flashlight, opening an eyelid and flashing the light there. Once she sees what she’s looking for she sighs in relief. She doesn’t need to look at the monitor to know that her condition as of now is critical. She really needs that defibrillator. In the meantime she begins pumping her chest in an attempt to get her to breathe better. Soon enough the nurse returns with the defoliator. She’s urgently rolling it over to her when the constant beep depicting her heart rate flattens out.

 

_No, no, no.._

 

Her training as a medical professional is the only thing on her mind now. She wasn’t going to let Fareeha die here. There wasn’t time to think about anything other than saving her. It all happens so fast that she’s opening her gown to prepare for the first shock. The nurse handed her the paddles to the device and she rubbed them together in a silent prayer, silently pleading that she comes back. When they’re charged, the nurses stand back a bit as she wastes no time in pressing them to her chest, the shock lifting her upper body slightly from the bed. Blue eyes scan the monitor for any changes and when she sees none she prepares to try again.

 

_Come on, Fareeha, please…_

 

When the charge is ready and Angela goes in for the shock once more is when a few more nurses come in, leaded by Satya. She can faintly hear her asking ‘whats going on’, but was too focused on the monitor to acknowledge it, willing the flat line on the screen to move. There was silence in the room, having drowned out everything except herself and that machine. Her eyes closed in concentration, and she's sure she prayed to every deity in existence to give Fareeha back to her. She was ready to give up hope when the faint sound of the beeping once again filled her ears, slowly falling into a comfortable rhythm.

 

Angela sighed in relief, almost collapsing to the floor had it not been for Satya suddenly behind her, barking orders to the nurses. “She’s going into surgery NOW! Get her to an operating room quickly!”

 

With everything done and over with, Satya sat Angela down in a nearby chair, calming her down as the tears began to fall. She couldn’t stay too long however as she was the one doing the surgery. When she did leave she left a nurse to watch over her, but Angela quickly dismissed her, wanting to be alone.

 

How long she sat there crying, replaying what just happened over and over again? She wasn’t too sure. Fareeha had died in front of her. What would have happened had she not been walking by? She tried not to think those kind of thoughts. Before long she calmed down into silent cries, balled up in the seat of the chair she was in, recalling to memory every detail she remembered of Fareeha to soothe her.

 

She was soothing herself into an easy slumber when she remembered something.

 

So caught up in the moment of trying to save her, she hadn’t had time to really acknowledge the odd mark she saw on her chest. Her mind tried to create an image for her but she wasn’t paying much attention at the time. All she caught of it was that it was blue in color, and it was a strangely familiar shape that she was certain she knew well.

 

She brought a hand up to wipe some stray tears from her eyes. As she lay her hand down she stared at the soulmark on her wrist, taking in its shape.

 

_A shape I know well…_

 

Sleep had almost overcome her when she made the connection, cross referencing the feather imprinted on her arm with the blue mark she saw on Fareeha. They were the same shape, identical even from what she could recall from her memory.

 

That would make it… a blue feather.

  



	2. Chapter 2

Angela wakes up to a sharp pain in her neck. Slowly she regains an awareness of her surroundings and the current position she was laying in. She was balled up and hunched over. Her neck was bent inwards in a way she hadn't even thought possible. That would explain her neck pain. On top of that she still felt exhausted. With a groan she sat up normally, stretching as she did so. The doctor took a look at her surroundings, still in a mini daze from waking, and suddenly remembered just where she was; the room Fareeha had been in. She remembered the events that had taken place prior to her nap. She remembered that Fareeha is in surgery right now.

 

She didn't have much time to think about it, her head snapping up at the sound of knocks on the door. There stood a nurse in the doorway. “Dr. Ziegler,” the nurse bows slightly in greeting. “It was requested you wait in the waiting area when you woke up.”

 

No doubt was it an order from her superior. The thought that Satya is currently in an operating room performing an intricate, life changing surgery on a woman she now has very strong feelings towards and whom may possibly be her soulmate, suddenly hit her as a tightening feeling in her chest. A part of her wished she could be there helping, watching, or anything really, but she shook away the thoughts and stood from her chair. “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

If there was one feeling Angela never wanted to experience, it was the feeling of waiting for an unknown length of time for life changing results from forces she has virtually no control over. Or, to put simply, she does not like waiting in the waiting room. Her eyes constantly glanced to those double doors, expecting Satya to walk through them any second now to deliver the news.

 

Now that she was awake and had time to sit and think, she returned to her train of thought from before she fell asleep. She remembered the mark she believed she saw on Fareeha’s chest. A mark so seemingly similar to her own. Its placement matches up with the woman’s occasional scratching at her chest so she’d like to think that's why she’s always fidgeting with the area. Certainly she must feel something when around her. Tired blue eyes traveled down to her wrist where the white feather lay and she imagined how it would look in a royal blue. She imagined what life would be like if Fareeha was her soulmate. Ever since that night they had grown a lot closer, and Fareeha herself admitted that she liked her. She can't deny that she, too, has strong feelings for the Egyptian woman. But the question of whether or not she was the soulmate she’s been looking for hung over her. Fareeha had said she already found her soulmate. At the time she hadn’t even entertained the thought, but what if there was the off chance she was actually talking about her?

 

A yawn escaped her,  finding herself dozing off on the sofa style lounge chair where she currently was seated. The change in furniture was a lot more comfortable than the chair she was using before. She switched her position she lay on her back, head resting on one of the throw pillows. Her neck was beyond thankful. She absentmindedly reached up to massage the back of it as she took in the remaining occupants of the room, all waiting for an outcome similar to hers. She was thinking all these thoughts about Fareeha and soulmates when none of that would even matter if she doesn’t make it through this surgery. The thought triggers a fleeting pain in her chest.

 

Slowly, the once full room trickled down to just a few occupants as the day grew longer. To pass the time she started going over the procedure for the surgery in her mind, eyes closed in concentration as she recalled the process. It also posed a great way to distract her mind from all the thoughts running through her mind. After a while, she started running into potential errors in her hypothesis and her plan to distract herself fell into shambles as she began to fret about all the complications Satya most certainly would be running into. _I have to have faith in Satya’s skills._

 

She didn’t know how long she lay there, looking peaceful on the outside but definitely in full panic mode internally, but she was brought back into the present by the feeling of someone standing nearby. Angela opens her eyes to find the nurse from before standing awkwardly next to the sofa with her hands behind her back.

 

“Yes?” she asked as she moved to a more upright position.

 

“Dr. Ziegler, a few hours prior to her surgery I made agreements with Ms. Amari to bring you this.” From behind her back she pulled a freshly bought choco chip ice cream sandwich— noted by Angela from the hints of vapor still smoking from the package. “She said to tell you its repayment for the one she let melt that one time.”

 

Angela could only stare in shock, mouth slightly agape as she was handed the frozen snack. The nurse turned to leave with a short bow, leaving Angela alone and slightly ready eyed over this gift. Leave it to Fareeha gift her one of her favorite things while hours deep into a surgery. She turned the packaging around her in hands as she looked down at it, ignoring the wetness left on her fingers by the condensation. All the muscles in the world couldn't have stopped the smile that plastered itself on her face. She was absolutely certain she looked like an idiot, sitting there smiling uncontrollably at an ice cream sandwich. Angela couldn't stop the small chuckle to herself as she pulled a hand up to wipe away the incoming pools of water from her eyes.

 

She closed her eyes with a sigh as she pulled open the plastic between her fingers.

 

_Fareeha Amari, you are ridiculous._

 

She takes a bite into it and there is little she can do to stop the tears from falling.

 

After savoring the sugary goodness of one of the best things on earth, drowsiness once again hit her and she slipped off into a light dose. She doesn't know how long she remains asleep for, but the sound of her name being called coupled with a light shoulder nudge brings her back to conscious. The doctor awakens to the one person she's been waiting to see standing in front of her. In a flash she bolted upright, all feelings of exhaustion seemingly vanished as she stood to greet the woman before her.

 

“Dr. Vaswani!”

 

“Angela.”

 

The disregard for surnames made Angela worry. She sounded exhausted, but that would be a given considering she was in surgery for what has probably been a little over 12 hours. A quick inspection of her person showed she looked absolutely exhausted as well. Unfortunately, Angela could make out no clues from her facial expression. You haven't seen a poker face until you've met Satya Vaswani, master of deleting all emotion from her face.

 

When the other woman made no move to continue speaking, Angela decided to urge her on. “Tell me everything.”

 

The way her boss sighed and then proceeded to rub her temples between her fingers was not a good sign in any book Angela had ever read and she felt her nerve levels spike up dramatically.

 

“Dr. Ziegler,” she began, and Angela already cringed at the use of the formal title. “Considering Ms. Amari’s circumstances before surgery even began, I do say I had my work cut out for me. Stabilizing her to a point where I could even begin the surgery was a hurdle in and of itself.”

 

Leave it to Satya to start off the most important news Angela had been looking forward to in years with all of the hardships, but then again she did ask for everything.

 

“Once I overcame that, there were other complications that had been overlooked in your technique. They did pose quite the inconvenience but it was nothing I couldn't handle, considering my skill set.”

 

Angela was beginning to regret asking for details. Tonight she simply didn't have the patience. There was a weight crushing down inside of her and every second she stalled only made it worse. “Chief. Can you please... just tell me.”

 

If the look she gave her superior wasn't pleading enough then the sheer look of desperation on her face definitely was. “Angela…” She reached out a hand to place on her shoulder, squeezing ever so gently. “It was a success.”

 

There were certainly more words after that sentence, but Angela couldn't hear them. Eyes were glazed over as she felt the relief wash over her. The now empty waiting room was bathed in complete silence, the sound of Satya’s talking drowned out as she let those words sink in.

 

_It was a success._

 

Satya was undoubtedly still talking when Angela lunged forward to envelope her in a tight embrace. It was sudden and not something she would ever do under any other circumstances, but the revelation of this news combined with the adrenaline from hours of anticipation overpowered her reasoning. She was just so grateful. Her eyes were watering but she wouldn’t allow herself to cry. Well... that was her mindset before she felt Satya return her hug, and the hand on the back of her head pulling her closer only opened the floodgates.

 

“I told you I’d take care of her. I do not tell lies, Doctor.” Once Angela’s tears of joy had subsided and she made to compose herself, the two finally separated. It didn’t go unnoticed by Angela how Satya smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her clothing afterwards. She wasn't particularly a fan of prolonged physical contact.

 

“Thank you, Satya.”

 

The chief smiled. Briefly. “Don’t thank me yet. It would appear you weren’t quite listening to the rest of my statement. The surgery was a success, yes, but barely. I have reversed the damage to her brain but the strain from the surgery has placed her in a comatose status, probably as a result of her state before we began.” As if predicting the incoming outburst from her colleague, she places a hand up signaling for her silence. Angela stares back in shock, mouth open with the intention of saying something. “Before you react based off of your newly created emotional attachments, I’ve come to the conclusion the coma will not be serious. I expect she will wake up within the week. Her body just needs to rest. She’s in urgent care now, being closely monitored in the event that anything changes.”

 

“Can I see her?”

 

The request was sudden and could have been asked at a better time, but it was sitting in the back of her mind ever since she heard the word ‘success’.

 

“You may not.” Angela frowned. “In case you’ve forgotten, you’re on leave, Dr. Ziegler, and visitor hours are long since over. You are to go home and rest. Relax. Eat. When was the last time you even ate? Ice cream does not count.” The finger Angela had held up to contest that question was slowly lowered as she nodded her head in defeat. “I don’t want to see you in this hospital for at least a week, Ziegler. I will take care of Amari. And if anything changes, I will keep you updated..”

 

Defeated, there was nothing Angela could do. Her boss’ word was final. She sighs as she accepts her fate. “Okay, I'll go home and get some rest. But I want to be the first to know when she wakes up.”

 

Satya nods in agreement. “Goodnight, Angela. I've called you a taxi. It should be waiting outside. Promise you'll take it easy these next few days.”

 

Even though you couldn't tell from her face, it was noticeable in those dark brown eyes that she was simply worried for Angela's well being. She may not want to admit it, but even Angela herself knows that going home to take it easy would be the best decision. It’s a better way to spend her time than moping endlessly through the hospital worried about Fareeha, which is most likely exactly how it would play out. Why spend her time worrying at work when she can worry from home, right? She laughs internally at the irony. “Thank you. I’ll try to get some rest.”

 

She smiles as she leaves and Satya watches her walk through the exit doors. Once she is sure the blonde has left she swiftly makes way to the main desk where one of the overnight clerks resides. “Does Dr. Ziegler have any emergency contacts on file.”

 

The girl at the desk looks up from her work on the computer with an eyebrow raised at how her boss can pose questions without asking a question. “Uh, let me check.” She looks through some files before landing upon Angela’s, opening it and skimming through the contents. “She does not, chief.”

 

Satya’s eyes narrow. She’d have to address that with her sometime. “Hmm, that won’t do.”

 

Satya Vaswani knows Angela Ziegler. She’s had her eye on the young woman since she started making her first steps into the medical world. She knew that girl was going to go home and do everything but rest, so she wished to find someone to more or less to keep an eye out on her best doctor. Angela's a workaholic, and she works the hardest under stress. Her worry for Fareeha Amari’s well being will most certainly lead her into bad habits. However, she was sad to say she knew little of Angela’s relations outside of work. The woman racked through her brain for an answer to her solution,  finding it in the recollection of a favor she is owed by a certain elusive someone. Now would be a fine time to turn in that favor. All her prior attempts at contacting her had failed, but she luckily just thought of one way that would be an assured way to contact her old friend.

 

“How about an emergency contact for the patient Fareeha Amari?”

 

* * *

 

When Angela got home the first thing she did was take a very, very long shower. During the taxi ride to her house she definitely could have fell asleep as exhausted as she was. As soon as she stepped foot into her house though she was suddenly full of energy. She decided a shower might help calm her nerves which left her standing under the running water, a hand resting on the tiled wall in front of her as she leaned forward.

 

After her shower she changed into sleepwear and got into bed. She lay in bed with her eyes closed for an unmeasured amount of time, expecting sleep to take over any second. Hours passed by in which that was not the case, a thousand thoughts running through her mind instead. Even sooner was the first rays of the morning sun shining through the slits in her blinds. Angela groans in frustration, accepting that she wouldn't be sleeping. The memory of sleeping in Fareeha’s comfortable arms that one night flashes through her mind and she smiles sadly at the thought. Then her thoughts turn sour and she's reminded that that same person had literally died right in front of her eyes.

 

Angela shakes her head to rid herself of these thoughts. She decides to do some work around the house to distract herself, taking in the neglected mess of her home. And so for the next few hours she spends her time thoroughly cleaning every inch of her apartment, only stopping to start a pot of coffee to keep her going. Between the cleaning and the coffee the entire day passes by without her even noticing. She can feel her exhaustion but every attempt of getting to sleep fails horribly. She even tried laying on the couch instead of her bed. A day and a half later and her entire house is spotless. With a spotless house she decides to work on some of her paperwork, preparing a new cup of coffee and holing herself away in her office until she requires more sustenance. Sustenance being more coffee. It is late by the time she realizes this so she makes note to visit the supermarket in the morning. Without her fuel to spur her on, soon the text on the monitor becomes distant and blurry until soon she finds her face landing on the keyboard as darkness consumes her.

 

Angela awakes in the to a text document with at least fifty pages worth of the letter ‘z’. Upon realizing she fell asleep at her desk she almost laughed to herself in sheer amusement. Of course she'd fall asleep at her desk. For some reason she always got so much more tired when sitting at her desk doing work. _Why hadn't I thought of that sooner?_

 

Even though she managed to sleep, she didn't get any rest as shown by the droop in her eyes and tiredness she felt throughout every inch of her body. She realizes she needs her caffeine if she's going to even remotely try to function today, and gets ready to head out to the supermarket so she can stock up. Once in the supermarket she heads straight to the coffee aisle, searching for the particular brand she prefers and knocking an entire shelf of it into her cart. With a cart full of coffee she turns down the aisle towards checkout. She had failed, however, to realize the woman standing a short distance behind her and bumped into her, sending the stranger onto the floor.

 

Upon realizing what she did Angela's hands covered her mouth in shock and she immediately went to help the woman. “Oh dear, I am sooo sorry!” she exclaims as she kneels down next to her to make sure she isn't hurt. She is an older woman with tanned skin and whitened hair braided neatly across her shoulder. Angela notes the eyepatch covering her left eye. She extends a hand towards her to help her up. The woman accepts and holds on tight as she's lifted from the floor. She takes a second to straighten out her clothes, primarily the long dark blue jacket she wore and the grey scarf wrapped around her neck. Angela notes that it isn't cold enough to warrant a scarf, but passes I off.

 

“I'm so sorry, Miss, are you alright?”

 

The woman lets out a small chuckle. “Don't worry about it, dear. I'm fine,” she says. Angela is skeptical, considering how she's holding onto her back as if she's in pain.

 

“Is your back in pain? I can take a look for you if you like. I'm a doctor.”

 

“That won't be necessary, dear.”

 

Angela watched as the woman went to pick up her basket of groceries, clearly showing visible signs of discomfort as she reached down. She offers to get the basket for her so she doesn't have to struggle. “Are you sure you're okay, miss…?”

 

“Ah, you can call me Ana.”

 

“Ana. I'm Angela. I feel terrible for what happened, though. At least let me make up for it?”

 

A mischievous smile flashes across the woman's face, but Angela doesn't notice. “Angela. Quite the heavenly name isn't it? If you insist, my dear angel, how about you accompany an old woman for a cup of tea at her favorite cafe? Tea tastes best when enjoyed in the company of others.”

 

The tired doctor felt like a tea party was an odd request but accepted it nonetheless, just glad she got the woman to accept her offer. “I would love to.”

 

* * *

 

After paying for their groceries the two take a short walk a couple of blocks down to a decently sized cafe with sidewalk seating. Out of guilt for earlier, Angela carries Ana’s bags for her. They choose to sit outside at the request of Ana who says they shouldn't stay clamped up indoors all day. Angela laughs nervously at the comment considering she did just that these past two days. They place their order of tea and a few pastries with the waiter when he comes by. To be fair, Angela doesn't consider herself much a tea drinker. The selection of coffee blends on the menu were most tempting and she made a mental note to come back here one day and try them.

 

As they waited for their order to arrive, an awkward silence hung over them until the older woman spoke. “So, Angela. You said you were a doctor? Your morning grocery list gives off quite the impression.”

 

Angela followed the woman's gaze to her grocery bag full of coffee and she covered her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment. She decides not to comment on the bag o’ caffeine. “Yes, I work as a doctor at the city’s hospital.”

 

“Must have busy nights ahead,” Ana replies with a smirk still teasing her about all the coffee. Angela's embarrassed blush intensifies. “You look exhausted, my dear. And it doesn't take two eyes for me to tell that something is troubling you.”

 

Angela is unsure what to say to that, a little shocked that this woman had read her so deeply.

 

“Why don't you talk to an old woman about what's on your mind?”

 

It is then that the waiter arrives with their tea and pastries; a few slices of light cake. Angela subconsciously smooths her tongue over her lips at the sight of the sweets. Yes, she will definitely have to come back here. Before she acknowledges it she's thinking that she should bring Fareeha with her. The events from the past couple of days suddenly flood her and her eyes close as she exhales and brings a hand up to massage her temple. Ana notes this silently from behind her teacup, briefly noticing the imprint on her wrist as she rubbed the side of her forehead.

 

“Here, you must try a piece of this cake.”

 

Angela's attention is brought back when she sees Ana handing her a plate with a slice of cake topped with a light icing. She smiles as she reaches over to accept it. She can't deny it does look delicious. With her arm outstretched Ana gets a clearer view of the white feather on her wrist. Her mouth turns upwards in a one sided smile. “Is that your soulmark?”

 

She stops mid bite of cake to follow dark brown eyes gaze to her wrist and nods in reply as she swallowed her mouthful of cake. “It is.”

 

“It's a beautiful mark. You must be an angel, no?”

 

With her hand rested on her teacup, Angela reflects on the mark a bit before taking a sip. She tried to use the cup to hide her growing smile, but it was no use. Ana took a sip from her own cup. “You know, my uncle used to tell me the same thing when I was little. Even before my mark ever came in.”

 

“Your uncle is a wise man.”

 

“Was. He passed.” There was the clinking sound of her teacup being set down on its saucer.

 

“Oh dear, I'm sorry.”

 

Despite the sudden heavy mood that hung over them Angela still beamed across at the old woman, reaching to grab another slice of cake. It was actually extremely good, and her appreciation for sweets “No need for apologies,” she assured, taking note of Ana's regretful expression. They left the conversation at that, settling into a silence as they drank and ate. It was Angela who speaks up after a few minutes. “Do you think these marks even matter?”

 

Ana looks up from her tea at Angela who thumbs over her wrist in thought. She places her cup down before she speaks. “That sounds like something my daughter would ask. She didn’t quite believe in the supernatural.” Her expression is downhearted shortly before she perks up again, staring into blue eyes. “I believe they matter, but I also believe you shouldn’t let them matter the most. Are you the deciding factor in your life or do you allow some symbol to decide things for you?”

 

She let those words sink in as she stared back at the woman. She felt a strange and familiar vibe from her, and she couldn't quite place why, but it made her want to open up more around her. Burdening some lady she just met with all of her problems seemed a little too overbearing, but looking at the warm smile the woman gave her and considering all the thoughts on her mind as of late, she just couldn't help herself.

 

They spent the afternoon chatting over tea and cakes, Angela telling this stranger all of the things on her mind. Ana listened attentively to all of her words and offered input when asked for. Eventually they had overextended their stay at the cafe and were politely asked to leave, but they continued their chat on the way back to angela’s apartment after Ana had insisted she didn’t need help going back to her own. The walk back home took less time than expected, or maybe it was just that time goes so much faster when you're so engrossed in something. Naturally, Angela made plans to see the woman again. She offered such excellent incite on some of her minor problems and the energy around her was just simply pleasant. She found a new friend in Ana somehow found herself spending the rest of her days banished from work in her presence. It was most certainly some of the best days she’s had outside of the hospital in a long time.

 

* * *

 

_“Are you having chest pains, Fareeha?”_

 

_A young girl, no older than 12 years old, paced around rubbing intensely at a spot on her chest. At her mother’s question she stopped momentarily before continuing her ministrations._

 

_“No, Mama, it doesn't hurt…”_

 

_“Then stop fussing.”_

 

_She frowned as her mother went back to reading her book. “But it feels weird…”_

 

_Her mother puts down her book yet again and ushers her daughter over to her. “Come. Let me take a look.”_

 

_Fareeha climbs up onto the sofa next to her mother, pulling down on the collar of her shirt so she could get a good look. What she sees causes her to burst into laughter, her head tilting backwards over the back of the couch. Fareeha's face contorts from concern to mild annoyance. “What's so funny!?” Her reaction only brings forth more laughter and she finds herself rubbing the spot again out of habit._

 

_Once the laughter finally dies down, she replies. “Habibti, it's just your soulmark.”_

 

_At the revelation Fareeha frowns, pulling her collar down again and trying to get a look at it. Sure enough, there to the left above her heart was the imprint of a blue feather accented with gold at the tip. It definitely hadn't been there before. She had checked the spot many times since it started feeling so weird. She definitely wasn’t thrilled about it either. “Why does it have to feel so weird though,” she mutters, mildly annoyed that she finally got a mark. To be honest, she hated that all the other kids talked about soulmates and soulmarks so much. It sounded so stupid to her._

 

_“Hmm, a feather is usually a sign that an angel is watching over you.”_

 

_Her eyes rolled at her mother's words. Unlike herself, her mother was an avid believer in all that is supernatural. Fate, destiny, you name it. And as such, of course she believed in the concept of soulmates. “There's no such thing as angels…”_

 

_Fareeha watched as her mother picked up her book once more. She's had the pleasure of bothering Fareeha with talks of fate and souls many times before. Each one seemingly only fueling her daughters disliking of it. She knew now not to waste any more time bringing it up with her, for she knew one day her daughter would see the light._

 

The scenery changes.

 

_The comforting living room of their home transforms into the barren desert. A once small Fareeha is now older, taller, and professional. She kneels behind an overturned car, suited up in the uniform of the Egyptian Military. The sound of gunfire can be heard in the distance. Fareeha looks to her squad; two next to her, two across the road, and three huddled behind a vehicle not too far from her position. They were pinned down by the enemy, unsure of what they're next move should be. She was thinking hard for a solution as their captain, when she received a message through her comms._

 

_“Amari! Incoming dust storm coming from your six. You all need to get into cover now!”_

 

_Fareeha looked behind them and sure enough a huge storm, a mixture of dust and sand and whatever debris were caught in it, was heading their way. The only shelter was that occupied by the enemy forces in front of them. She silently cursed to herself, their options now narrowed down to only one._

 

_“Alright, squad. The only way is forward. Stay alert!” She waited for confirmation from each and every member of her team, nodding her head in satisfaction. “Move out!”_

 

_They all left from their positions and towards the enemy. Everything was happening so fast and it was all so blurry. The sounds of gunfire, men screaming, and the sound of the storm as it grew even closer. In no time her squad had managed to flush out the enemy and take over the shelter just as the storm passed over them. Fareeha looked over at her squad, taking a head count._

 

_“Where's Saleh?”_

 

_Without wasting a second she finds herself out the door, running into the core of the flying debris to find her missing soldier. A large chunk of something flies by, narrowly missing her face, and she reaches up to make sure her helmet is secure. She knows he couldn't be too far. Her suspicions were confirmed when she hears the faint sound of a cry for help over the sound of dust whizzing past her ears. “Saleh!”_

 

_She waits nervously for a response, concentrating hard on the sounds around her._

 

_“Captain!”_

 

_With his estimated position confirmed, Fareeha runs towards the voice. She finds him on the ground leaning against what's left of a small hut and clutching his leg. “I ran into some trouble, Cap,” he laughed, despite the urgency of the situation._

 

_Fareeha rips a section of her sleeve to tie around his leg wound and slow the bleeding. She notices that his helmet is gone. “Where's your helmet?”_

 

_He looks up as if not realizing it was even gone. “Hmm, must've lost it.” She starts unbuckling the clasps on her own helmet to give to him. “Captain, nooo, what are you doing??”_

 

_“Just take it,” she orders as she plops the gear over his head. She steadies his arm around her shoulder and they begin the trek back to their team. The storm had gotten worse and she could barely see where she was going, trying her hardest to avoid flying debris. Their makeshift shelter can just barely be made out and Fareeha calls for them to let them know they were arriving._

 

_Almost there._

 

_Just a little further._

 

_Something suddenly flies into her leg, no doubt debris from the storm, and Fareeha falls to her knees having caught herself with her one free hand. Saleh falls from her grip. She wills herself to stand, regretting it immediately as she is hit hard in the side of the head. By what, she was unsure as everything suddenly went black as she fell to the ground._

 

Fareeha's eyes shoot open.

 

She is met with a blurriness, slowly fading away to reveal the large tiles of the ceiling. She blinks then a couple of times, still taking in the dream she just had. Faintly her ears pick up the sound of the nearby medical equipment, reminding her just where she is.

 

_I'm alive._

 

She moves to sit up, primarily with her arms as she found she could barely move her legs. Her arms weren't any much better, though, and she found herself giving up, content with just laying. She brings a hand up to the side of her head, suddenly too aware of the painful pulsing emitting from there. Her fingers are met with the smooth cloth of bandages. The touch, however light it was, intensifies the pounding in her head. She groans in response as she lays herself further into her pillow.

 

An exhale.

 

_I'm alive._

 

Fareeha looks down at her hands with a smile, relieved deep down inside that she made it through the surgery even if she was still unsure about how successful it was. Her smile faded when thoughts of her mother came to her and she was reminded of the dream she had. It has been so long since she spoke or seen her mother, let alone dream about her. She can't help but wonder if the dream has anything to do with her all too close brush with death. Her thoughts don't get very far as she feels herself drifting off back into unconsciousness.

 

She awakes again, this time to the relief that the pounding in her head had subsided. The next immediate thought to come to her this time would be Angela. Having not done so earlier, she looks around the room to find she is in a smaller, not-so-homey room. Also, she finds that she is its only occupant.

 

_Where's Angela?_

 

Fareeha tries to sit up again but only meets a similar outcome as the first time. Defeated she lays back into the pillows once more.

 

“Always the stubborn one aren't you, Amari.” Fareeha turned to the sudden sound of a voice. She was met with Satya Vaswani standing in her doorway. Satya enters the room, chart in hand as she makes her way to the bed. “You'll have to regain the strength you've lost, but that should only take a couple months of physical therapy.”

 

Fareeha looks at the raven haired woman as she looks over whatever is written on the papers on her chart. She had been expecting Angela to be here when she woke up. She goes to speak but finds nothing comes out. Her voice is hoarse, she can feel it in her throat. Satya takes a pitcher of water from the stand next to her bed and pours her a glass. Fareeha hadn't noticed that there before. Not that she would have been able to pour herself some anyway. She greedily downs the glass, the feeling of it against her dry mouth and throat bring tons of relief. She exhales in contentment once she feels better and attempts to speak once more. “W-where is Ang— Dr. Ziegler.”

 

Satya let's out a noise that Fareeha can confirm was definitely a scoff. She definitely scoffed at her.  

 

“Don't try to appease me with your ‘Dr. Ziegler’ charade, Amari.” Fareeha's eyebrows raise in confusion. “I know of everything that happens in this hospital, and you and Dr. Ziegler’s recent affairs are not anything special.”

 

Fareeha swallowed the lump in her throat. Of all the people to find out, it had to be Angela's boss? She would feel terrible if Angela's career was jeopardized over this it would be entirely her fault and she would never be able to forgive herself.

 

“She isn't in trouble is she?”

 

The pause between her question and Satya answer seemed like an eternity to Fareeha.

 

“I sent her away on two weeks leave under my own discretion. Normally her actions would be severely frowned upon, however she is my best doctor and you are a special patient.”

 

“What?”

 

“It doesn’t matter.” Satya reaches into her coat and pulls out a pocket watch, flipping the lid open. “You should be going back under any second now.”

 

Fareeha, confused as all hell had no time to reply as she felt the heaviness from before return. Before she could even attempt to utter a reply her eyes closed and she was surrounded by darkness.

 

The next time she awakens she turns to find Satya sitting in a chair a in the corner next to the bed, still looking at her watch. “You were in a coma, Amari. You were only out for a few days, thank goodness, but you'll find yourself drifting in and out of consciousness for a while.”

 

Fareeha hummed in reply. She could feel the pounding in her head again and her eyebrows furrowed in reaction to the pain. If she was in a coma for the past few days and Angela was sent home, she wondered how the blonde was doing these past couple of days. A part of her felt worried and she felt the pulsing in her chest above her heart in response. Reflexively she brought brought a hand up to rub it. She needed to see Angela. She needed to hear her voice. She needed to tell her absolutely everything.

 

“Can I see her?” If Satya knew then she figured there was no point in beating around the bush.

 

From her chair Satya mentally smirked at the question, it being the same immediate question Angela had asked her. “Not today. She's been barred from the hospital until tomorrow, actually. You've been out nearly a week.”

 

“I see,” she replies, the disappointment in her tone is heavy but not gone unnoticed by Satya.

 

“I do have something for you, though, Amari.”

 

Fareeha duly notes that Dr. Vaswani never uses her first name as she watches her dig into her coat pockets and pull something out, covered by her hand. She holds it out towards her and Fareeha extends an open palm to accept. She feels the weight upon her hand and once Satya’s own has moved away she sees that it is her crappy old flip phone. Her thumb smooths over the small LCD screen on the front. It has a crack in the glass down the middle from the countless times she’s dropped it. Fareeha did not understand why Satya was giving her, her beat up cell— or at least she didn’t until she flipped it open to find a number already punched in. She didn’t recognize it, but she knew whose it was all the same.

 

“I advise you wait before you call. I expect you’ll be going under again soon.”

 

At that news Fareeha exhaled in annoyance. Not being able to control going in and out of conscious was becoming real old real fast. Satya gave her a quick rundown of how she was doing medically and giving her slight details on how the surgery went, since, technically, she wasn’t too sure of the results herself without further monitoring. “I'll check back in with you tomorrow morning.”

 

Twirling the phone in her hand, Fareeha can feel the greater powers pulling her back under once more. Satya began to leave and Fareeha held a hand up to stop her, trying hard to fight her inevitable fall into unconsciousness. The doctor stopped and turned to see what Fareeha planned to say in amusement. She heard the words leave her mouth but was out cold before she could see them through. “Thank y…”

 

Satya smiled at the happy expression on Fareeha’s face as she slept. She held the cell close to her chest, undoubtedly with intentions of calling as soon as she wakes up. It also didn’t take much to see the good Fareeha had done for Angela, from her random bouts of constant smiling to her decrease in coffee intake— something Satya never thought could be overcome. She certainly did good by assigning Fareeha to Angela, and she was certain only more good things would come given everything worked out for the better.

 

“You’re welcome, Fareeha.”

 

* * *

 

Angela returns home later that night, having spent another day in the company of her charming new friend Ana. The older woman surprisingly provided very great company. Spending time with her filled Angela with a feeling she couldn’t place, however, it felt very familiar. Also, for the rest of the week since she met Ana, she had much better nights of sleep and barely had any stressful thoughts in regards to the hospital. Now she was currently on her last day of hospital suspension and could finally go visit Fareeha tomorrow. Her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing her after so long. She would have to thank Satya for the time off though, as she really felt more refreshed.

 

Her boss actually hadn't even called to update her on Fareeha’s status all week. Angela hadn't noticed, having been preoccupied by her newly made friend. Now that she was back home and the reminder that tomorrow was the day was fresh in her mind, she found a lot of her anxieties slowly returning. The fact that Satya hasn't updated her on anything was already starting to stress her, and she fretted silently under the steaming water of her shower. The nervousness of meeting with Fareeha again after this long week was also starting to get to her, considering the last time she saw the other woman.

 

After her shower Angela takes her time getting ready for bed. She hasn't had trouble sleeping the past few days, and hopefully tonight won't be any different. She dims the lights and lay there under the blanket, book on hand as she waits for tiredness to arrive. A chapter and a half later and no such thing happens. Her cell phone on the nightstand startles her as it begins to ring suddenly. She jumps slightly and can automatically feel her heartbeat quicken.

 

_Could it be Satya, finally?_

 

She reaches over to check the caller ID. It isn't Satya's number nor a number she can say she even recognizes. Angela stares at it some more, wondering if she should answer. It could be a prank call or a wrong number. A gut feeling she has tells her she should answer, and her thumb swipes across the screen to accept the call.

 

“Hello?”

 

She waits a moment but is meant with silence. There isn't even any background noise she can hear. “Hello,” she tries again. Still she gets nothing. It must've been a wrong number or something as she had thought. Angela goes to hang up when she catches the sound of someone clearing their throat, and the voice that follows almost has her drop the phone entirely.

 

_“Angela?”_

 

She is certain her heart stopped at the sound of her name. She may not have heard the voice over the phone before, but there was no mistaking that voice. Already there were tears forming, pooling around the lids of her eyes and threatening to spill over at any moment.

 

“Fareeha?”

 

_“It's me.”_

 

The confirmation from those two words was enough to tip Angela over into a silent crying fit. The last time she heard Fareeha's voice was the night before the surgery. The last time she saw Fareeha she was in critical condition. The sound of her voice right now, no matter how little words she has yet to speak, was just enough to bring Angela so much joy. It was enough to let her know that Fareeha was alright. She gets so caught up in the moment, thankful that Fareeha is alive and okay, that she forgets to respond.

 

_“Did I wake you up? I know it's late.”_

 

Angela wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, sniffling away her tears. “No, no, it's fine. I was having some trouble sleeping.”

 

Fareeha's perceptive ears doesn't miss the sound of Angela's sniffling. _“Are you okay?”_

 

“I am,” she replies quickly. She repeats again once more, this time for herself. “I'm just…” she starts, sniffling once again as she tried to compose herself. “I'm so glad to hear your voice.”

 

_“I'm glad to hear yours, too ”_

 

Angela smiles. The sound of Fareeha's voice after so long was better than any song she could think of. She remembers that Satya had said she was unconscious. That means she must have woken up recently, and immediately her doctor mode activated. “How are you feeling? Any pains?”

 

She could hear Fareeha chuckle on the other end.

 

_“Your concern knows no bounds, Doctor. I'm fine. Just some minor head pains.”_

 

Angela was a little skeptical about the downplayed response considering she literally had a life changing surgery done on her just but a few days ago, but Fareeha made sure to change the topic at hand.

 

_“How are you feeling, Angela? I hope you rested well this past week. You needed it.”_

 

Angela briefly tells Fareeha about the nice woman she met who she spent the majority of her week with, foregoing mentioning her name as she urgently remembers that she found the most wonderful cafe. She tells Fareeha she'd like to take her there one day and explains in great detail how delicious the cake there was. They talk for a bit more about small things— or, really, Angela tells her about her week, until the first yawn of exhaustion escapes from the doctor.

 

_“I should let you get some rest..”_

 

“Noo,” Angela yawned, interrupting the rest of her sentence. “Stay with me, please?”

 

There is a small pause before her response comes.

 

_“Anything for you.”_

 

Angela smiled at the sincerity of her reply, placing her phone on speaker and laying it on the pillow next to her as she got comfortable. Over on Fareeha’s end, she had been debating whether to finally tell Angela about her feelings. She had been afraid to do so beforehand as she wasn't sure how things would turn out, but now she just couldn't wait. She was positive the surgery was a success, and even if it wasn't, who was she to keep this from Angela? She should have explained the extent of her feelings way before the surgery was even planned.

 

“What are you thinking about, schatz?”

 

Fareeha couldn’t help the small breath of amusement at how adorable a sleepy Angela sounds.

 

_“How do you know I’m thinking about something?”_

 

“You’re too quiet,” came Angela's response a good thirty seconds later. The excitement about the day to come had worn off and the blonde found herself barely hanging onto the threads of consciousness. “Tell me something, Fareeha.”

 

_“I wish you were here with me.”_

 

“If I can go a week without you…” Her sentence trails off and Fareeha suspects she might have fallen asleep until she spoke again. “...You’ll be fine.” It probably wasn't what she wanted to say, but Fareeha more or less saw where she was going with it.

 

_“It’s your turn to tell me something, ya amar.”_

 

The silence was longer this time in which Fareeha was certain she was out like a light. The faint sound of feather light snores only confirmed it. She stayed on the line a little longer, regardless, just in case she came to. A minute or two later she decided she was gone for good and was preparing to end the call when she heard a shuffling over on Angela’s end.

 

“F’reeha… I’m gonna sleep now,” comes her groggy voice over the phone. Clearly, she wasn't aware that she had already fallen asleep.

 

_“I’ll see you tomorrow, Angela. Goodnight.”_

 

“Goodnight, F’reeha.” A pause. “...I love you.”

 

The sudden admittance froze Fareeha in place, hand still holding her beat-up cell to her ear as she stared blankly into the distance. Had she really heard that right?

 

_“Angela?”_

 

She received no response other than the return of Angela’s faint snores, but that was to be expected. After a moment she closes the lid to her flip phone, her mind replaying the sound of those words repeatedly. She laid back against her pillows, smiling to herself as those words combined with Angela’s half asleep voice was something she could only have dreamt of hearing. Fareeha knew, however, that it was just the sleep talking for the most part, and that when Angela woke up tomorrow morning she wouldn't even remember saying it. Having heard those words left Fareeha with a warm feeling either way.

 

She placed a hand over her heart in resolve. Tomorrow she would sit down with Angela and tell her everything.

 

_Because I love you, too._

 

* * *

 

The next morning Angela wakes up bright and early with a vigor she’s never had in her entire life. It was shocking really— she wasn’t much of a morning person. This morning she felt extremely rested and had showered, gotten ready, and even eaten a small breakfast before 9 AM. She was out of her home and on the way to the hospital in record time. Her talk with Fareeha last night was just what she needed to put her nerves at ease. Briefly on her walk to the hospital she kept an eye out in the usual spots where she had run into Ana this past week. She was mildly disappointed when she didn’t see any signs of her older friend, especially since she hadn’t really exchanged any sort of contact information with her, but she was certain they'd run into each other again some time.

 

When Angela reached the hospital she was both surprised yet not surprised at all to see Satya waiting for her at the front doors, arms crossed as she peered out the large glass panes. She was greeted by her superior the moment she stepped through those automatic doors.

 

“Angela. What a surprise to see you here,” she says. The sarcasm all but pours from her voice and Angela finds herself rolling her eyes at the other woman's antics. She always knew the exact moment where sarcasm would be the least appreciated and always capitalized.

 

“Chief Vaswani,” she greets with a nod. She decides a first name basis wouldn’t be the smart way to go.

 

“I need to have a talk with you.” Her voice is serious all of a sudden. The tone subconsciously has Angela straightening her posture in response as she awaits her superior’s next words. “I’ll be taking over Fareeha’s case from here forward. The work you’ve done up until this point is beyond excellent, Angela, and we wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”

 

Angela tilted her head to the side as she waited for the downside.

 

“But…”

 

_There it is._

 

“...Angela, I think it would do you good to take some time off.”

 

This time her head tilted in the other direction out of confusion. “Aren’t I already taking time off?”

 

“You are. But I feel it would be wise to willingly take some off.” Angela wants to question the other woman’s logic, but she’s cut off before she can say anything. “We can speak more on this later in my office, Dr. Ziegler.” She idly notes the use of her last name instead. “I’m sure Ms. Amari can’t wait to see you.”

 

Angela’s eyes narrow at the suggestive tone in Satya’s voice, but dismisses it as she begins to lead her further into the hospital. They take an elevator up to the 11th floor— one of the emptier floors, Angela notes. They travel down one hall in which Angela notes that half the rooms they walk past aren't even occupied, before stopping at a door. Room 11-006. This was it.

 

Suddenly her nervousness was back in full force, not that this door was the only thing separating her from Fareeha. She looked over to Satya who only closed her eyes briefly in a nod towards her before walking away. Angela exhaled as she readied herself, hand resting on the doorknob. With a deep breath she turned it, pushing the door open slowly as she stepped inside. And that's when she felt it.

 

Fareeha was sitting up in bed, staring out the window facing away from the door. The sight of her, the light from the window shining upon her face, caused her heart to stop momentarily. Her wrist was pulsing and she lifted her hand from the door to hold it in her other hand.

 

_Is this what it feels like…?_

 

The door slamming closed behind her grabbed both her and Fareeha's attention. The bronze skinned woman shifted in her position to face the source of the noise and her face brightened when she saw Angela standing in front of the door. The blonde released the breath she wasn't even aware she was holding as she inspected every inch of the woman before her from her spot.

 

She’s alive.

 

It was something that was confirmed since the day Satya completed the surgery, and further proven when she spoke to her just last night. But seeing her here right in front of her was something different for Angela.

 

“Fareeha,” she breathed, once she realized she had been staring. Her cheeks were already aflame and she had barely entered the room. Her feet was carrying towards the bed before she could acknowledge it.

 

“Angela.”

 

Angela smiled at the as she took a seat on the bed next. Her hands were on Fareeha’s face immediately, turning her head from side to side as she inspected every inch of her. She moved upwards to run her fingers across the bandages wrapped around her head. Fareeha let her have her moment, smiling in amusement as her head was tilted upwards and to the side until it started ti trigger a minor headache Dark hands grasped onto pale wrists as Fareeha brought her eyes to meet Angela’s, something she was so sure she’d never have the chance to do again. Her realization from before came back to her and she wasn’t aware of the tears streaming slow trails down her face until Angela reached up to wipe them away. “Thank you, Angela. Thank you so much,” she said as she joined Angela’s efforts to wipe away her tears. She knew that now was the time, more than ever, to say what she wanted to say.

 

“Fareeha, I-”

 

“No wait,” Fareeha cuts her off with her finger to her lips. “I need to say this, please.”

 

Angela ran a hand through Fareeha’s dark locks, noticing that they were a little longer than when they first met. She wondered briefly whether she would cut it or let it grow. “Tell me your thoughts.”

 

Fareeha took a breath before she began to speak. “My mother… I don’t like talking about her much. But she, like you, really believed in soulmates and fate and all those unexplainable things. She was always so adamant that I had some kind of angel watching over me. I felt like it was just her way to excuse how absent she was as I was growing up.” Her eyes were downcast and there was a feeling of resentment behind dark brown orbs, a look Angela had never seen in her before. But then again, in all their times together she never spoke about her mother. She held onto her hands in comfort as she continued.

 

“That day when you found me, I had become so tired of living my days out in this hospital. I didn't want to burden anyone with my troubles so I requested no one know of my whereabouts. I didn’t expect I’d be here for so long, though, and being here stuck in this hospital began to become insufferable. I wasn’t getting better and no one knew what was wrong with me... “ She felt Angela’s hand rub across her shoulder soothingly. She let out a small laugh as she continued. “I guess, I was just becoming desperate for a change. All my days were the same, nurses would come and go to check on me and doctors would take my case only to give up once they couldn’t figure it out.”

 

“One day a nurse left the window open and the breeze from outside felt so nice…” Fareeha sighs, and Angela knows where she’s now going with this. “When I got out the window, I’d be a liar if i said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. I was so tired of living this life and presented before me was such an easy way out…”

 

“Fareeha…”

 

“But then that's when I saw you, Angela. You called my name, and when I saw you I knew… My mother, as much as I hate to say so, was right. When I saw you reaching out to me you were like an angel— no, you are an angel...” Fareeha can feel her eyes begin to water up again. “I knew it and I felt it in that moment that you were mine and I yours, and I was constantly reminded of it everyday,” she confessed, placing Angela’s hand over her chest. “I wasn't sure if you also felt what I felt in that moment though, so I had my doubts, but I saw your soul mark… And I didn’t want to tell you because… well, because I was dying, to put it frankly. I still might be dying, actually, but I realized last night that it's important for you to know all this regardless.”

 

Fareeha exhales deeply, reaching the conclusion of her words. Her mind was a mess of things she wanted to say, but her mind has abandoned all outlines and the words had simply fell out on their own accord. You can think of what you want to say repeatedly in your head, mentally writing this script, but then the time comes it is the heart that actually guides those words. And Fareeha was confident of the feelings in her heart.

 

“It was selfish of me to keep this from you, but I want you to know all of this, Angela. I want you to know just how much good you've done for me. I want to thank you for never giving up on me. Most importantly… I want you to know that I love you.”

 

The room was loud with silence after her confession. The eye contact they had maintained was broken as Fareeha looked away, her face undoubtedly burning hotter than the sun. All the confidence she had going into this was withering away as she waited for Angela to say something. Anything.

 

A slender hand cupped Fareeha's chin and brought her gaze back to clear blue eyes. She could see the tears cascading from those blue pools, and in the ambience of the room she could also hear their barely audible patter against her clothing as they fell. Angela didn't say anything but Fareeha could see her eyes speak for her, pleading her not to look away.  She needed her to not only hear, but _see_ her next words.

 

“I love you too, Fareeha. I love you more than I thought I knew.”

 

A breathe she didn't know she was holding was released at hearing those words and Fareeha was pulling her into an embrace before she realized it. Angela happily returned it, finding place in the crook of Fareeha's neck.  Soon the interaction became exhausting for her as she was still feeling weak from the surgery. Just sitting up alone was doing a small number on her. She moved to lay down, unwilling to remove her arms from around the blonde who got the hint and lay back with her with a small laugh. She sighed in relief as her upper half was relaxed against the soft cushioning of the bed. “I can't wait to start physical therapy. I feel so pathetic, everything is so exhausting,” she complained, eyes closed as she took in the feeling of her body resting.

 

When no reply came she opened her eyes and turned her head to find Angela, head propped up with an arm as she watched over her. Fareeha smiled turned over to face the blonde. “Yes?”

 

“I don't think I ever told you my fact last night.”

 

Fareeha remembered the sleepy confession from last night and as expected Angela was too asleep to really remember. “Hmm, then tell me something,” she replies, lips upturned in amusement.

 

Leaning over, Angela placed a brief, simple kiss on her cheek. “I love you so much.”

 

Fareeha smirked at the admission, memories of last night phone convo fresh in her mind. “I think you might’ve told me that one before.”

 

* * *

 

 

Within the next week Fareeha gets cleared to start physical therapy and get her strength back. She's still being monitored to make sure whatever brain damage she had truly is reversed. Despite having been pulled off the case, Angela is there every step of the way. Her two week leave just as quickly comes to an end, at which she is immediately called into Satya’s office for a talk.

 

“I'm sure you know why I've called you here, Angela.” Satya sat at her desk, back straight and hands folded up top as she spoke.

 

“I can't say for sure, but it's most definitely about me or Fareeha.”

 

“You have keen eye, Doctor.”

 

Angela snorts at the others attempt to be humorous.

 

“Have you thought about taking some more time off?”

 

The blonde sighs, already aware that was the reason why she was called here. She had done some thinking and came to the conclusion that her behavior for the most part is and has been unprofessional, as Fareeha is a patient in this hospital. Even though she may be a ‘special’ one as claimed by Satya, she still couldn't allow Angela to so casually fraternize with her while on duty. Certainly she was offering for her to take time off as a way to remain close to Fareeha and not potentially ruin her career. Satya may be allowing it to slide now— and for what reasons, Angela wasn't too sure— but if her own superiors were to catch wind she'd be forced to take disciplinary action.

 

“I've planned to take paid time off once Fareeha is deeper into her rehabilitation. All those years overworking myself and not taking vacations will finally pay off, hm?” Her response roused a short but very much real chuckle from Satya, which she considered a huge accomplishment. “When she's closer to being discharged I’ll take some vacation time to help support her at home.”

 

The tanned woman narrowed her eyes at Angela's plan. “I hope you know, until that time comes I don't want to see or hear of any funny business between you two while within walls of this hospital.”

 

Angela feigned shock, placing her hand on her chest for added effect. “Me?”

 

“I'm serious, Angela. I let the last few months slide, but from this point forward you both need to lay low.”

 

“Define ‘low’...”

 

“Dr. Ziegler…”

 

“I kid, I kid.” The surname meant the end of all joking.

 

“Good.” Her serious face slowly lightened up until the slightest of smiles rested upon her face. “I'm glad you finally found someone, Angela.” Her words were from the heart. She could tell by the tone of voice; softer and full of more emotion than Satya’s usual.

 

“Thank you. Who would’ve thought it would happen in the hospital of all places,” Angela joked, with a small chuckle. In her laughter, she didn't miss the glint in her superior’s eye and how she turned her head to the side in a way that she barely could catch. Her eyes narrow and she recalls those words from a few months ago, in this very office. Satya had asked her how the soulmate search was going and while she thought the question was rather random, she dismissed it. But what if the question wasn't so random at all?

 

“You knew.”

 

“Pardon me?”

 

Angela's eyes narrowed further as she pointed an accusing finger at the woman across from her. “You knew Fareeha and I would get together, didn’t you?”

 

“And if I did?”

 

It was a challenge. A tone of voice Angela has heard in her voice many times before. She isn't sure what part Satya Vaswani played in this but she knows for certain she had one, and there was a reason why she met Fareeha. Had assigned anyone else as her doctor none of this would have happened. She wouldn't even have been aware of her existence in this world. The thought sparked a pain in her heart and a minor burning in her wrist. How terrible it would have been had that been the case?

 

“Then, thank you. Thank you so much.”

 

* * *

 

For the next month Angela stayed true to her word and limited the amount of time her and Fareeha spent together. Once explaining the situation to her, Fareeha understood that Angela's career was much more important than a few stolen kisses here and there. It would turn out Fareeha would spend much of her time going through her rehabilitation exercises anyway, leaving her exhausted by the end of the night. After two weeks of monitoring they reached a concrete conclusion that the damage to her brain was completely reversed. With the results confirmed, Fareeha’s desire to gain her strength back as quick as was allowed lead to her spending many hours going through exercises. On her late shifts Angela would stop by her room to find her out cold from the day’s work. Sometimes during her day shifts she could sneak in for a small moment or two when she was resting in between sessions.. She was asked to lower their interactions, but that didn't mean they had to stop them all together.

 

Time flew by faster than she anticipated and before she knew it, Fareeha had but one more week left. It was her official last night spent in the hospital and the last day of work for Angela before she went on vacation. Both of them had arranged to take some time to themselves later that night to celebrate and with some pleading Angela convinced Satya to allow her to spend the night in the hospital as well. When night rolled around Angela took Fareeha up to one of her many hospital hiding grounds, a corridor on the top floor which was used mostly for storage. They mostly stored the unused beds up there and in this particular hallway they lined the walls, where there was the large row of windows facing the city below. It was dark as they save energy by cutting the power to this floor, but the light from the windows is always enough. It was one of Angela's favorite spots when she needed a moment to get away from everything and everyone.

 

Tonight she shares that spot with Fareeha. They sit on one of the beds, backs against the walls as they dive into their choco-chip ice cream sandwiches. Fareeha had suggested there would be no better way to spend their night together than by eating their favorite frozen treat.

 

Just like last time Fareeha made a mess of her own, getting the sticky white substance all over the nurse's scrubs Angela got for her to wear. She had never been more relieved to finally get to take off that terrible hospital gown.

 

“If there's one thing I'm gonna miss about this hospital, it's these ice cream sandwiches,” she sighed, as she began to clean the vanilla ice cream off her fingers with her mouth.

 

“You do know you can buy these at any supermarket, right?”

 

There was a deep inhale in which Angela turned to see Fareeha, finger in her mouth and her face showing her joy at the news. “I am going to stock my entire freezer with these things.”

 

An eye roll and a few seconds later and Angela finished her own treat, her clothing immaculately clean compared to Fareeha's. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear as she reached over to wipe a straying trail of ice cream from dripping down Fareeha’s chin with her finger, teasingly wiping the digit clean with her tongue. “You’re making a mess, as usual,” she laughs. She watches Fareeha take a bite only to have the melting ice cream slip out from the other side. It would have fell all onto her pants but her reflexes allowed her to catch it in her other hand. She turned to Angela with a triumphant smirk as she licked her hand somewhat clean.

 

“Fareeha, I hope you don't intend on touching me with those messy hands of yours.”

 

Sleek eyebrows raised in challenge. “Oh, I had _every_ intention.”

 

“Fareeha, don't…” Angela warned, inching backwards when she saw Fareeha inch towards her.

 

Her warning fell on deaf ears as she was pounced on, laughing all the while despite her protests. They fall into a friendly wrestle as Angela tried to redirect ice cream covered hands away from her. Despite the pretty good fight Fareeha put up their playful tussle was over when Angela had the taller woman pinned under her, wrists held up against the wall behind them as she straddled her lap. Her exhausted panting fell onto Fareeha's chest as she rested her head against her shoulder. By the time she caught her breath she sat up to find Fareeha giving her the most sultry of looks in regards to their positioning.

 

A part of her knew her smartass of a girlfriend would want to say something witty in that moment, and took advantage of her opening mouth to close the distance between them. Angela smirked against soft lips as she felt the wrists she held against the wall struggle to break free. Her rehab was going well but Angela still had the upper hand in strength, an advantage she will enjoy having for as long as she can.

 

They break apart, Fareeha leaning forward from her restraints in an attempt to recapture her lips with her own. The motion fills Angela with an immense feeling of power as she sits back out of reach. “Behave,” she orders, looking straight into mischievously dark eyes. In her pocket she had a few alcohol pads, having foreseen the high chance of mess. Thankfully she receives Fareeha's cooperation when she releases her hands to get the wipes, taking one for herself as well.

 

The second those tanned hands were wiped clean they were on Angela's face and buried in light gold tresses as she brought together again. Angela smiled into the kiss at Fareeha's impatience, her hands finding their place on broad shoulders. She parts her lips at the pleading from Fareeha's tongue, moaning into her mouth as a result. Sometimes her brain couldn't quite wrap itself around how much of an amazing kisser the other woman was. She could already feel the heat pooling in between her legs and Fareeha was barely touching her. It was as if her mind was read in that moment as Fareeha's hands began to wander down from her face to grasp her hips when she shifted under Angela, pushing her thigh against her warmth. The contact brought a gasp from the recipient as she pulled back, chuckling at the sudden eagerness.

 

“Someone’s a little impatient,” she teased, hand moving down those broad shoulders to rest on her chest, right where her mark supposedly was.

 

Her thumb gently rubbing circles over the spot was enough to grab Fareeha’s attention away from the pale neck she was currently devouring. She looked up to meet Angela’s eyes, only slightly annoyed by the height disadvantage she had due to their positioning. “What are you thinking about, amar?”

 

Angela smiled at her perceptiveness, smoothing back raven strands from her face. She looked down at the hand on her chest. On her week off she had talked about many things with Ana, and had came to the conclusion that Fareeha’s soul mark didn't matter because she would love her regardless. She was still curious to know what it looked like, however, but she felt that maybe since Fareeha hasn't brought it up that she might not want to share. There was truly only one way to find out.

 

“Fareeha, is this where your soul mark is?” she asked, as she runs her fingers over the spot. “I caught a glimpse of it before your surgery, but it wasn't at the forefront of my mind at the time.”

 

Fareeha pauses, looking down at Angela's hand and placing hers on top. “It is.”

 

“Can I see it? Please?”

 

A sigh. For a moment Angela regrets asking and is about to retract her request when Fareeha speaks. “I’m not particularly fond of it, and I kinda wish it wasn’t there…” At this statement Angela frowns, hoping she didn't trigger some unwanted memory for her. “But it's because of this mark that I truly got to know you, and for that I’m grateful. I know this mark means a lot to you, even if you try to pretend it doesn't. Besides,” she pauses, looking playfully into blue eyes. “You’re gonna end up seeing it someday anyway, so why not.”

 

Angela's face heats up at what Fareeha is implying, almost missing her grab the hems of the shirt she wore to pull it over her head. She leaned back on her lap to give her space, and before she could think of protesting Fareeha had removed her shirt and tossed it casually to the side, sitting straight in all her glory. The doctor's face reddened considerably. She mentally berated Fareeha for her openness. It's not like she hasn't seen Fareeha shirtless before right? The handful of times she had was just a doctor with her patient, but this time just felt different. It felt private. It felt intimate. She hadn't even noticed her eyes hadn't left Fareeha's until she felt her hand grabbed and placed back where it was prior.

 

“Go on.”

 

Her eyes trailed down to where her hand lay over the mark, heart racing slightly at the anticipation as she moved her hand to the side.

 

And there it was, just as she had imagined it.

 

A near identical match to her own minus the blue coloring and the trimmings of gold on the tip of the feather. It looked more stunning than her own. The sight of it triggered a pulsing in her wrist. Her eyes widened at the feeling, immediately recognizing feeling it before, though not as intensely, back when she first met Fareeha. The shock of finding her outside combined with the discomfort from leaning out the window must have led to her completely dismissing the feeling. She couldn't believe she hadn't realized it.

 

“It's so beautiful,” she whispers as she traces over it again. And it truly was beautiful, just like the person who bore it. Angela cursed herself one she felt the small droplet of water splash against her skin, but she didn’t bother wiping them away. She was just so happy; she couldn't stop the tears from forming. Ever since she was a child she could only dream of this day; the day when she finds her soulmate. The day she finds the mark that pairs with her own… “I love you so much.”

 

There was little to no time for a reply as Angela found her way back to smooth, silken lips. Fareehas hands were on her waist and she was maneuvered onto her back before she could even acknowledge it. Her hands ran trails down the bare skin of Fareeha’s back as every inch of her mouth was claimed by her. She could feel hands toying with the waistband of her pants, thumbs dipping under the elastic to run across skin. Every part of her wanted Fareeha in this moment, but she knew they couldn’t; not in the hospital, especially after Satya’s warning. She had every intention of saying something, opening her mouth to speak. The sound that came out instead was her sharp gasp as she felt cool fingers brush against her. The feeling only made it hurt that much more to stop it.

 

“W-wait, Fareeha, we can’t.” She looked up apologetically, pushing dark strands of hair out of her face and tucking them behind her ear. Fareeha smiled in understanding stealing one more kiss before rolling off of Angela to fetch her shirt. “I’m sorry. Satya has her ways… Besides, we should get some rest for tomorrow.”

 

“Don’t be sorry. We’ll have all the time in the world to pick up where we left off tomorrow.”

 

The two share a small laugh before making their way back to their designated room. The bed was a little bigger than the normal sized cots, which Angela appreciated because those beds were truly only meant for one person. They fall asleep in each other's arms, legs tangled together under the sheets. Their last night spent together in a hospital.

 

The next morning comes quick, and the events that lead to Fareeha’s discharge happened even quicker. Before the two knew it they were standing at the hospital entrance, arms interlocked as they listened to Satya dutifully recite at-home care information as if Angela isn't the best doctor in this establishment.

“—and, _you_ , take very good care of her.”

 

“I will, I will,” Angela replies, but Satya shakes her head and turns to Fareeha.

 

“I'm talking to Amari.”

 

Fareeha smirks, knowing from the beginning that it was directed at her. She outstretches a hand, the other one holding on to the walking stick they gave her for extra support. “I swear, I will.” Satya meets her with a firm grip and the two shake on it, oblivious to the blushing Angela in that back.

 

“I'll hold you to that.”

 

Their pickup car could be heard honking for them outside and Angela and Fareeha said their goodbyes as they exited. Satya watched them from the window, looking on even long after the car had driven away until she feels the presence standing next to her. Her gaze still remains fixed on the window as she speaks. “I finally get rid of one Amari and then another one is thrown onto my doorstep.” It is then she turns to turns to the woman next to her, eyes scanning over her and frowning at the hood over her head. She didn't like it being worn inside the hospital. “Ana.”

 

“Satya. Thank you for everything.”

 

“Don't thank me. Thank Angela.” She turns back to the window, contemplating whether to say what's on her mind. Friend is a loose term to describe the relationship between her and Ana Amari. She wasn't sure how much she could pry into her personal affairs, but considering all she's done for the woman she figures it couldn't hurt.  “You can't run away from her anymore, Ana.”

 

“I know.” She sighs, removing her headgear to turn and face her. “I think my window of opportunity has long been closed though.”

 

Satya placed a reassuring hand on Ana's shoulder. She can't say she truly sympathized with the woman, but she at least can acknowledge that she wants to make things better. “I have a feeling she’ll open that window for you, if you give her time. She'll open it for the both of you.”

 

Ana smirked. Those were some kind words coming from one of the few people she could at the most consider a friend.  “You've gotten soft, Vaswani.”

 

“Get out of my hospital, Amari.”

 

* * *

 

Angela traced feather light touches along the length of Fareeha's arm, relishing the feeling of the goosebumps she caused on skin. She sits pressed into her side in the backseat of their ride to Fareeha's house where Angela would get her situated. Yes, she was discharged but she still needed to take it easy and keep up with her rehabilitation exercises to gain her strength back. A technician should be coming to drop off some at home equipment for such exercises.

 

She lets out a content exhale, looking up to find Fareeha gazing intently out the window. Of course she had it rolled down just enough so the wind blew through her hair. Angela didn't appreciate the wind so much, but she figured she should let Fareeha have her moment.

 

“So what's the first thing you want to do when you get back home?”

 

Fareeha looked down at her, closing the window and placing a finger on her chin in thought. “I think a better question who be _who_ do I wanna do,” she teases, earning a flick on the nose from the woman in her arms.

 

“Stop joking around.” She tried to be serious but Fareeha could tell she was pondering her words, especially considering all the build up that lead to nowhere from last night. When she really thought about it, though, the question was something she hadn't quite thought of. She never thought there would be a day when she ‘got back home’. She never thought she would make it out of that hospital. The question threw her off just a little. One thing she knew for certain is that she wanted to do something with Angela— no, she wanted to do something _for_ Angela. She wanted to really show her just how much she appreciated everything she has done for her. One look at her face and she knew for certain.

 

“I want you to go on a date with me, Angela. I want to finally be the one who takes care of you.”

 

Angela looks up to her with loving eyes, leaning up to kiss her cheek, another on the corner of her mouth, and then her final on her lips. She lingers a little longer before parting, eyes flicking back down in temptation, but she knew now wasn't the time just as it wasn't the time last night. That didn’t mean she wasn't thinking about it, though. “I’d be honored to go on a date with you.” Delighted by her response, Fareeha attempts to swoop back in for a kiss but Angela pushes her head to the side, laughing at her pouting in response. This is the second time she’s been swerved now, and she was starting to feel personally attacked. Her annoyance didn't go over Angela's head though as she placed a kiss to her, whispering all the while. “Our date doesn’t have to be the _first_  thing we do when we get there, Fareeha.”

 

It didn't take much for her to get the hint and Fareeha was on her best behavior from that point onward, returning to her gaze out the window as she thought about just how lucky she was. All those months ago she would have never imagined herself where she is now. A fresh bill of health, a second chance at life, and love, to bind it all together. Her gaze shifts from the window to the head of blonde hair resting against her. This was the start to her new beginning. A fresh start on life with Angela by her side.

 

And she wouldn’t want it any other way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the end, I didn't have it in me. I hope this second half lives up to the first. Might do a little epilogue thing regarding Ana's relationship with Fareeha. Who knows.

**Author's Note:**

> Listen okay. I had a plan coming into this and I veered off of it so hard. I can take this in one of two directions and I'm still not sure which one to go with. I started this thing certain of a particular outcome but throughout writing I started to have mixed feelings lol. I'm gonna sleep on it for a while. Also, I am not a doctor so sorry if I offend any medically inclined people with my potential butchering of your profession. Sorry for any possible typos, spelling errors, etc. I just wanted to be done with this... and I'm still not even done with it.


End file.
